Widening Access Strategy

We recognise the following groups as under-represented in higher education and/or requiring additional support:

• Students from areas where families are likely to have no previous background of HE
• Students within the bottom quintile of lower super output areas in the Welsh Index of our Multiple Deprivation
• Students from lower-income families
• Students with disabilities
• Students from a care background or estranged from their family, and Young Adult Carers
• Students from minority ethnic backgrounds
• Mature Students
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ)
• Welsh Medium Students
• Students with children
• Students belonging to a religion or belief
• Asylum Seekers / Prisoners 

We work with schools and colleges to raise the aspirations of groups under-represented in higher education. In order to achieve this goal we do the following - 

1.1 - Provide talks, activities and workshops targeted at young people identified as at risk of low achievement.

1.2 - Deliver subject specific enrichment activities to students in Wales and the rest of UK.

1.3 - Enhance sustained provision to raise the awareness of HE with primary age groups in targeted schools and communities where disadvantaged is high.

1.4 - Enhancement of our current Widening Participation provision focused on targeted schools/colleges.

We aim to break down barriers to application for groups that are under-represented within higher education by -

2.1 - Continuously work to improve our contextual admissions policy and procedures. Eligible applicants will receive special consideration, such as a lower offer than our standard published entry criteria.

2.2 - Delivering advice and guidance sessions in schools and colleges in disadvantaged areas, including mock interview sessions and presentations e.g. the UCAS application process, Writing a Personal Statement, Student Finance and Student Life.

2.3 - Providing travel and overnight accommodation support to enable students to attend on-campus activities e.g UG & PG Open Days and Applicant Visiting Days. 

2.4 - Continuously improving our bursary and awards programme, monitoring the impact of this on students from under-represented groups. (i.e., Care Leavers, School/College Partnership Scholarships, etc.).

2.5 - Launching a new Access All Aber programme for post-16 targeted Widening Participation learners.

We work closely with regional partners to deliver the aims of the Reaching Wider Partnership by doing the following - 

3.1 - Work closely with our Reaching Wider Partners to ensure a coherent approach to Reaching Wider provision across the region.

3.2 - Deliver the activities set out in our Reaching Wider Programme Plans 2021/22 to 2022/23 and beyond.

We work closely with external organisations to continue to raise aspirations of groups under-represented in higher education, through varied events and activities.

4.1 The successful implementation of this strategy will require collaboration and partnership working. We will continue to work with a range of strategic partners to support our widening participation activities. Our partners include:

• Reaching Wider Partnership
• Seren Network
• Nuffield Project
• Urdd Gobaith Cymru
• Scarlets (Community Work)
• Welsh Government – Senedd
• National Library of Wales
• Go Wales
• Hay Festival
• CREDU, Connecting Carers
• Ceredigion Careers
• Higher Education Funding Council Wales (HEFCW)
• CLASS Cymru Care Leavers and Student Support Wales)

We aim to develop provision that supports progression to higher education -

5.1 - Develop and enhance alternative pathways to Aberystwyth University by continuing to develop our Foundation Programme. 

5.2 - Work with external partners to create work experience opportunities for students on higher education courses in Wales.  

5.3 - Working across the university to offer distance and blending learning to expand opportunity, achievement and attainment. 

We provide the following support services that improve the retention of students from groups under-represented in higher education and develop new services more appropriate to their needs.

6.1 - Continuously monitor and improve our bursary and awards programme, monitoring the impact of this on students from under-represented groups.

6.2 - Review and publicise the hardship funding (access to a discretionary fund that provides support to students experiencing financial difficulties). 

6.3 - Continuously work to improve the support offered to students who identify with a disability or with a mental health condition. 

6.4 - Expand on the opportunity for peer mentoring engagement supporting a positive transition to Aberystwyth University.

6.5 - Provide wellbeing support for students to ensure they are equipped to reach their academic potential.

We will monitor and evaluate our work with schools and colleges to raise aspirations of groups under-represented in higher education by - 

• Reducing the access gap between entrants from POLAR 4 Quintile 5 and Quintile
• Collecting data on those from underrepresented groups.
• Having a regular auditing cycle against our widening participation activities.

We aim to break down barriers to application for groups that are under-represented within higher education. We will monitor and evaluate our progress by doing the following -

• We will encourage widening access to study by having fair and flexible entry routes and offering diverse qualifications. Our students will be empowered to succeed whatever their personal and social backgrounds.
• To strategically review and continuously refresh scholarships/bursary provision to ensure it continues to support students from underrepresented groups who need it the most.
• We will work to increase the number of students who attend Access All Aber each year.

We work closely with regional partners to deliver the aims of the Reaching Wider Partnership. We will monitor and evaluate our progress by fulfilling our primary goal of -

• Increasing the number of educational opportunities.

We work closely with external organisations to continue to raise aspirations of groups under-represented in higher education, through varied events and activities. To track the efficacy of our provision we will -

• Monitor and assess all our outreach activities with external organisations and track year-on-year improvements in engagement.

We aim to develop provision that supports progression to higher education. We aim to monitor and evaluate our progress by -

• Developing study skills modules tailored to the confidence building needs of underrepresented groups with the Careers Readiness Support.
• Establishing a clear and transparent route into university for students undertaking a range of qualification in a range of settings.
• Maintaining Careers Service support for students who need help with CV’s, application forms, interviews, work experience and placements.
• Looking to increase the number of Care Leavers, Young Carers and Estranged students continue with a Postgraduate degree.

We will be providing support services that improve the retention of students from groups under-represented in higher education and develop new services more appropriate to their needs. We will monitor and evaluate our performance by measuring the following -

• Increase the number of entrants from a care background.
• Personal Tutors to support students academically.
• Signpost Mentoring Scheme provide free and confidential advice on all aspects of university life.
• We will aim to increase the number of students who receive the Disabled Students’ Allowance.