Access Academy Training: How to widen access to postgraduate study

Access Academy Training

NEON Access Academy
How to widen access to postgraduate study
Presented by Paul Wakeling, University of York

Date: Friday, 9 December 2016
Time: 9.30am – 4.00pm
Location: Central London (within 5 minutes walk of Kings Cross and St Pancras train stations)

In the face of concerns about inequalities in graduate outcomes and falling postgraduate numbers, institutions and policy makers are increasingly concerned about access to postgraduate study. These concerns lay behind HEFCE’s £75 million Postgraduate Support Scheme of 2014 – 2016 and the introduction of loans for postgraduate study in England and Scotland from 2016. HEFCE has consulted on the inclusion of support for taught postgraduate study within broader access and widening participation activities.

This one-day session will introduce participants to the latest research and practice on widening access to postgraduate courses in the UK. Drawing on findings from the Postgraduate Support Scheme, from academic research and international examples, we will cover the following key questions:

• Why should we care about postgraduate access?
• What does ‘widening participation’ mean at postgraduate level?
• What do we know about patterns of access to postgraduate study in the UK?
• What are the special features of the postgraduate ‘landscape’ and how do these differ from undergraduate level?
• What might a successful widening participation strategy for postgraduates look like?
• What practice exists? What works and what doesn’t?

A central theme will be the need to consider both financial and non-financial aspects of postgraduate participation.

The session will be delivered by Dr. Paul Wakeling from the University of York. Paul has published extensively on this issue and his research on the topic has been funded by HEFCE, ESRC, the British Academy and the Higher Education Academy.