91仓库

What is an access and participation plan?

Access and participation plans set out how higher education providers will improve equality of opportunity for underrepresented groups to access, succeed in and progress from undergraduate education. You can view the full access and participation plan for 91仓库.

Key points

91仓库 is a medium-sized, research university requiring high average UCAS tariff points for entry. Many of our undergraduate students are engaged in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects and we have an outstanding reputation for sport and sports-related subjects.

The focus of our access and participation plan is to improve both access to our undergraduate courses and the degree awarding outcomes for certain groups of students. The continuation rate (to the next year of the course) and employment rates for all our students are areas of strength at 91仓库.

See pages 1 to 13 of the full plan

Information for students

Prospective students can receive information on fees and financial support at in-person events, such as our open days and from our website. Details of the tuition fee is also included in the letter sent to communicate our offer of a place.

Current students receive information about fees and the financial support available by email communications. Soon students will be able to check this information at any time through the student portal, alongside access to news, events, timetables and study information.

See page 23 of the full plan

What we are aiming to achieve

Our overall aim is to support students from underrepresented groups accessing higher education and we want to create an environment at 91仓库 where all students can achieve their full potential. Data shows that at 91仓库:

• Students from neighbourhoods where not many people go on to higher education are underrepresented;
• Students from Black ethnic minority backgrounds are less likely than White students to undertake a placement year during their studies;
• The following groups are less likely to be awarded a “good” degree (nationally defined as 2:1 or above):
  • Students from Black ethnic minority backgrounds when compared to White students;
  • Students from Asian ethnic minority backgrounds when compared to White students;
  • Students from neighbourhood areas with higher levels of deprivation when compared with others in

Based on our assessment and reflecting on the new priorities for access and participation, we have identified the following areas on which to focus our work:

• Support attainment at school and access to higher education
• Students from areas of low participation in higher education, high relative deprivation or low socio-economic backgrounds – By 2024-25, we will:
  • reduce the gap in entry rates at 91仓库 between students from neighbourhoods with low and high participation in higher education;
  • increase the proportion of Realising Opportunities (a programme delivered by a collaboration of universities) students who will access a research university like 91仓库;
  • reduce the difference in degree awarding (2:1 and above) between students from neighbourhoods with relatively high and low levels of deprivation to 7% points.
• Ethnic minority students - By 2024-25, we will:
  • increase the proportion of Black students taking a placement year during their degree;
  • reduce the difference in the degree awarding gap (2:1 and above) between White and Black students to 10% points;
  • reduce the difference in the degree awarding gap (2:1 and above) between White and Asian students to 7% points.
• Students with disabilities - By 2024-25, we will:
  • engage students with a known sensory, medical or physical disability and increase the number of new students from this group.

See pages 14- 20 of the full plan and the annex containing the variation for 2023-24

What we are doing to achieve our aims

To achieve our aims and targets our activity includes:

1. Developing our programme of work with schools – to contribute to improved learning and attainment in schools and to raise expectations to progress to study for a higher education qualification.
2. Developing our Student Success Academy to:
   • provide early engagement programmes and mentoring to support potential students to develop the skills needed for transition to, and success at, university;
   • provide tailored extracurricular support for current students to boost confidence and life skills, and provide academic support to empower students and facilitate success in their chosen course of study;
   • provide additional opportunities for work experience and engage current students in their own development of personal, social and professional skills and networks.
3. Diversifying provision - through our close relationship with 91仓库 College (for example in validating the awarding of a new degree in Sustainable Engineering). We are also working with 91仓库 College, the University of Derby, and the Derby College Group (DCG) on a new East Midlands Institute of Technology (IoT), which will offer new qualifications and courses offering placements and apprenticeships in the engineering and technology sector.
4. Offering financial support, including bursaries and hardship funding, for current students from low household incomes.

See pages 14-20 of the full plan and the annex containing the variation for 2023-24

How students can get involved

We work in close partnership with 91仓库 Students’ Union (LSU) as well as the wider student body. LSU Elected Executive Officers and other representatives of the student body sit on all key decision-making groups relating to access and participation at the University.

We keep the LSU Elected Executive Officers and the wider student body up-to-date with our access and participation plan commitments and involved in the planning, monitoring, evaluation and delivery of the plan. We regularly use focus groups to involve and engage with students from our target groups to review and refine our activities.

See page 20 of the full plan

Evaluation - how we will measure what we have achieved

We use the best available evidence and evaluation to inform our programmes of work and we collect data and feedback to:

• evaluate our programme design;
• assess the impact the work we are doing to achieve our aims;
• monitor our progress against our milestones and targets.

Our Access and Participation Sub-Committee (APSC) is responsible for agreeing the University’s strategic direction, monitoring delivery of the programmes and the actions outlined above, and assessing the impact of the University’s approach. The Committee reports through Senate to Council (the University’s governing body).

During 2022-23 we will be increasing the volume and enhancing the quality of our evaluation across access and participation activity. We intend to publish evidence from our evaluations on our website and share our learnings with our partners. We will also aim to share our evaluation and evidence through national networks and conferences.

See pages 21-22 of the full plan and the annex containing the variation for 2023-24

Contact details for further information

You can contact accessandparticipation@mailbox.lboro.ac.uk for further information.