The NEON Working Group aims to bring together practitioners and researchers to share best practice, innovate and test models that will:

• Widen access to postgraduate taught and doctoral study addressing gaps where there is under-representation. This includes a project to trial the use of additional criteria in the admissions process;
• Contribute to the depth and breadth of understanding of barriers to, and within postgraduate study, sharing research and considering intersections of disadvantage;
• Consider metrics for the evaluation of intervention activity to support progression of under-represented groups , and within, postgraduate study;
• Seek opportunities to share best practice at a national level

In addition to the regular meetings of the working group, there are currently three workstreams involving colleagues, from across the sector, collaborating to lead themed areas and progress areas of work:

1. Postgraduate data capture – Lead: George Gisborne, University of Leeds, G.Gisborne@leeds.ac.uk
   • There is often limited data collected beyond undergraduate study and this limits what we know about the intersections of disadvantage which may act as barrier to progression at postgraduate level. Colleagues are trialling the use of additional criteria in the admissions postgraduate admissions process to enhance the depth and breadth of our sector understanding about representation at this level of study. This will inform future practice and research.
2. Careers and Employability – Lead: Stacey Mottershaw, University of Leeds, S.Mottershaw@leeds.ac.uk
   • This workstream aims to better understand career planning needs for postgraduate students. Colleagues are working on a collaborative, JISC funded, research project to investigate further.
3. PGR Student Success – Lead: Rachel Van Krimpen, University of Nottingham, Rachel.Vankrimpen@nottingham.ac.uk
   • This workstream explores what success looks like for postgraduate students and how this can be measured.  It includes work on a QAA funded collaborative enhancement project to measure and support success for postgraduate researchers from diverse backgrounds.

In July 2022, the Working Group launched a strategy blueprint and pledge of intent to work collaboratively to bring about positive change. The Group recognise organisations will be at different points in the journey and joining this pledge will provide a supportive environment in which to share practice and to improve the representation of under-represented groups in postgraduate study. Click here for more information.

In Spring 2023 the NEON Widening Participation in Postgraduate Study Network launched a project to collate and publish case studies showcasing the great ongoing work to implement the strategy blueprint – widening access and enhancing experiences in postgraduate study. For more information on the first wave of these case studies, launched in Autumn 2023, please click here. 

Please see terms of reference here of for more information about this Working Group contact Liv Powell at O.S.C.Powell@leeds.ac.uk.

Scheduled Events

For upcoming meeting dates please view our Events Calendar Here >>

Attendance at Working Group meetings is free to NEON members. Non-members are welcome to attend but there is a fee of £80 per meetin