NEON Summer Symposium

Widening Access in Higher Education – Are we there yet?

Thursday, 8th & Friday 9th June 2017

Leeds Beckett University

Widening access to higher education has been an imperative for policy makers and higher education providers since the late 1990s. As we approach twenty years of concerted efforts to widen access to HE in England, the 2017 NEON Summer Symposium will look at what progress means and whether it is being made? What have we learnt in the last two decades and crucially, what should the goals for the next decade and beyond look like in the area of access and equity in HE participation?

If you would like to book your place at the 2-day 2017 NEON Summer Symposium, please fill out the form at the bottom of this page.

Programme

Please click here to view the programme for the 2017 NEON Summer Symposium.

The 2017 NEON Summer Symposium will look at a number of specific issues:

Understanding the nature of widening access practice – how do HEIs and others plan and design their portfolios of work and what do these portfolios look like?
How are HEIs, schools and others working together to raise attainment and what are the challenges in meeting government policy goals here?
What is being done to support greater participation (as well as retention and success) for learners with disabilities?
Building vocational pathways – how are degree apprenticeships being taken forward and how are learners on vocational courses experiencing HE and being supported to succeed?
The relationship between the TEF, widening access and future targets;
Outcomes from the NNCO – what projects were developed? Are they being sustained? What did we learn about building partnerships and supporting learners?
The use of data to both shape who is targeted and what is delivered – is practice as data informed and led as it should be?
The relationship between outreach, student retention and student success – how are HEIs developing strategic approaches to connecting the student lifecycle?
Helping students from widening access backgrounds achieve their potential in HE – inclusive learning and teaching and/or targeting approaches?
Connecting access and identity – challenges and innovation in supporting white disadvantaged males/females and those from BAME backgrounds.

Speakers so far confirmed

Diana Beech, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Higher Education Policy Institute

Louis Coiffait, Head of Education, REFORM

Katherine Griffiths, Director of HE Development & Learning, University Campus Oldham

Chris Hale, Director of Policy, Universities UK

Kate Howell, Senior Policy Executive, UCAS

Sarah Howls, Head of Student Opportunity, Hefce

Caroline Rowley, Regional Director, Association of Colleges – Yorkshire and The Humber

Professor Peter Slee, Vice Chancellor, Leeds Beckett University

More speakers will be announced shortly

The NEON Summer Symposium not only offers two days of stimulating keynotes, presentations and discussions. It is also an invaluable opportunity for widening access professionals, careers advisors, student support specialists, policy analysts and academics to engage with each other, discussing best practice and driving forward a social mobility agenda that we are all dedicated to.

Exhibition and Sponsorship Opportunities

Please click here to find out more about exhibition and sponsorship opportunities at the 2017 NEON Summer Symposium.

NEON Summer Symposium (8 - 9 June 2017)

Booking Form
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Please select one option from below:*
Member rate delegate fee [EXCLUDING accommodation, conference dinner & breakfast]. £205
Non-member rate delegate fee [EXCLUDING accommodation, conference dinner & breakfast]. £269
FE/HE Students' Unions/Schools/Sixth Form Colleges member rate delegate fee [EXCLUDING accommodation, conference dinner & breakfast]. £123
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If you have selected to pay by credit card NEON will email an invoice to you (at least 2 weeks prior to the event) which can be paid online. Please enter 'Credit Card' in the Purchase Order Number field below.

If you have selected to pay by BACS (bank transfer) a Purchase Order number (PON) is required. Please provide details below of the PON below together with who to email the invoice. NEON will then email the invoice to your Finance department (and cc you in if you wish). Payment will be collected by London Higher so please check if London Higher is set up as a supplier on your finance system. If your organisation does not issue Purchase Order numbers then please enter NA in the fields below and notify Michael Naughton at michael.naughton@londonhigher.ac.uk in order to secure your booking.

All fees are exempt of VAT.
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If you are paying by credit card then please enter 'Credit Card' in the above Purchase Order Number field.

Invoice contact name and address (usually your organisation's finance department address):
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Please tick this box to agree to the following: Under certain circumstances it may be necessary to cancel this event. NEON accepts no liability for any additional expenditure incurred but will refund delegate fees paid. If you cancel within 14 days of the event, you will still be charged and you are welcome to send a replacement. Please inform us as soon as possible so that we can amend our records.
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Data Protection: When you register with NEON you will be giving NEON/London Higher permission to process data about you. NEON/ London Higher needs to process data about you in order to carry out its normal administration, that is we only collect, store, use and disclose the data for any purposes connected with your enquiry or booking and possible future events. For overnight accommodation bookings NEON will forward your details to the Leeds Beckett University. NEON is a Division of London Higher.
Photography Disclaimer: During this event we may take photographs for use in future NEON/London Higher publicity materials. If you wish NOT to be photographed during this event then please advise Michael Naughton at michael.naughton@londonhigher.ac.uk accordingly.

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NEON is the new professional organisation supporting those involved in widening access to higher education (HE).

NEON Summer Symposium

NEON Summer Symposium (8 - 9 June 2017)

Booking Form

Delegate's Contact Details

Invoice contact name and address (usually your organisation's finance department address):

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