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Key Areas - Widening Participation
The Context
Widening participation is the attempt to make Higher Education more accessible to people who are from the social backgrounds that are under-represented in Higher Education. It is a part of the social inclusion agenda. It includes both outreach activities and retention activities. Examples of widening participation activities include summer schools, taster days, mentoring, HE Fairs, school visits, masterclasses, compact agreements, academic partnerships between FE Colleges and HE institutions, and the establishing of progression routes into HE from school, college, and work based learning.
Action on Access
The mission of Action on Access is to promote inclusivity and diversity, and the broadest possible access to higher education. Their activities are intended to shape and influence both policy and practice and broker dialogue between policy-makers and practitioners. They work with a wide range or partners and strategic alliances to help deliver and embed widening participation.
Office for Fair Access
The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) is an independent public body that helps safeguard and promote fair access to higher education. They approve and monitor 'access agreements' with English universities and colleges who must negotiate an 'access agreement' with OFFA when determining the level of their tuition fees.
What role does FACE Play?
FACE provides a network and a forum for discussion for practitioners and policy makers. Research, best practice and experience can be shared at FACE seminars and through workshops or papers at the FACE Annual Conference or electronically through the network.
Resources
Continuum – the centre for widening participation policy studies - is the first research centre of its kind in the UK. The aim of Continuum is to provide a focus for critical understanding of WP policy and practice.
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