
What works? Demonstrating impactful university engagement
For those of us who work with students specifically to help widen participation in higher education, it is important to reflect upon the work that we do with our young people. What is even more important is analysing that work and evaluating the impact of it.
University engagement - what works?
In a recent study (1), it was revealed that the types of engagement that were most strongly associated with UCAS acceptance were summer schools, campus visits and information and guidance. Additionally, combinations of activities that included summer schools were particularly effective in predicting acceptance into higher education, while the second most effective combination was of information, campus visits and masterclass activities.
Interestingly, the research also showed that taking part in five to six outreach activities provided the optimal balance between input and impact, with the benefits of each additional engagement (after five or six) being small.
Research also showed that learners engaging
in outreach activity (specifically the Uni
Connect Programme in this research), even
if just once, are linked to a higher chance of
being offered a place in higher education. This
is true even when looking at other variables
that can determine UCAS success (school, sex,
ethnicity or deprivation).
If you’re a fan of data and want to learn more
about the findings in this study, the reference
is below. The study analyses the effect of a
multi-intervention outreach programme (Uni
Connect) in higher education acceptance
by comparing learners who engaged in this
programme’s activities and those who did not.
(1) A.P. Burgess, M.S. Horton, E. Moores, Optimising
the impact of a multi-intervention outreach
programme on progression to Higher Education:
recommendations for future practice and research.
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