March 2010
31.03.10
Provisional participation rates in Higher Education
The HE Statistical First Release indicates that the provisional Higher Education Initial Participation Rate for 2008/9 was 45% of 17-30 year old English domiciled first-time participants either attending or having had attended university. This is up from 43% for the year 2007/8. More information is available from the BIS website.
18.03.10
University and college funding allocations announced
Universities and colleges have been allocated £7,356 million to cover teaching, research, capital and related activities during 2010-11, HEFCE confirmed today. Full details, including the grant information to individual institutions, can be found on HEFCE’s website.
Aimhigher in the national news
Aimhigher featured prominently in the national news over the last couple of months, with three partnerships receiving positive write-ups for their work in three separate articles. Aimhigher MKOB’s ‘Mentoring for Progression’ project was profiled in a full-page feature in the Independent’s Education & Careers supplement in January. The piece discussed the work the partnership is doing to encourage prisoners to consider further and higher education.
Meanwhile, Aimhigher Leicestershire’s ‘Boys into HE through Football Project’, which aims to get young boys thinking about their academic future by involving their football coaches as mentors, was highlighted as an example of good WP practice in the Times Higher Education (THE) supplement in a wider article that appeared on 25 February. In addition, Aimhigher WECAN’s study into young people’s perceptions of and ambitions towards higher education and the future was featured in last week’s THE, as part of a piece which investigated the aspirations and opinions of young people about higher education.
The NCRT worked closely with Aimhigher MKOB and Leicestershire to secure coverage of the two partnership projects, after being made aware of their work via last year’s national Aimhigher Awards scheme. Visit Aimhigher in the national news pages to view the articles online.
Aimhigher Associates annual conference details
‘Striving for Success’ – the first annual conference for the Aimhigher Associates scheme will take place in Cheltenham, on 18 and 19 May. Keynote speakers, including Professor Steve Smith from Universities UK and Professor John Storan, Director of Action on Access and Continuum (UEL) will provide the backdrop for participants to debate and share best practice. There will also be opportunities for attendees to attend a range of workshops. The agenda will be available on the Aimhigher Associates section shortly.
Social media toolkit now available
The NCRT has developed a toolkit to introduce partnerships to the opportunities presented by digital and social media. It includes an introduction to some of the social and digital media tools currently available, suggestions for how partnerships may be able to use the above and case studies of current practice and sources of further reading. Visit the Communications Resource Pack to download the guide. If you have any questions surrounding digital and social media, contact the NCRT.
Aimhigher briefing pack for stakeholders
The NCRT is working with HEFCE to develop a briefing pack for stakeholders. The pack, which will provide in-depth information about the programme, is intended for use as a national profile-raising tool, however partnerships may also find it to be a valuable resource, alongside other materials. The pack will be made available electronically later on this month.
Update on national Aimhigher Conference and Awards
Plans are underway for this year’s national Aimhigher Conference and Awards scheme. The NCRT is working with HEFCE and BIS on arrangements for the 2010 Aimhigher Awards, and has established a steering group of practitioners to consult with on plans. The Aimhigher Conference will be organised by a group of practitioners and Action on Access will be responsible for the event management. More information will be made available soon.
Report from the Aimhigher Communications Network meeting
Aimhigher Communications Leads (ACLs) from partnerships across the country came together in London on 26 February for the fourth meeting of the Aimhigher Communications Network (ACN). Attendees discussed the impact of the General Election on the sector and shared examples of approaches to stakeholder and MP engagement, media liaison and marketing. HEFCE presented a look ahead at key communications opportunities and milestones, and the NCRT provided feedback on the recent audit of communications resources and presented a showcase of strong media coverage of Aimhigher.
Visit the Aimhigher Communications Network section to view a copy of the agenda. PowerPoint presentations and handouts are available on request. Please contact the NCRT on aimhigher@grayling.com or 0117 929 7096. Alternatively, your local ACL should be able to provide you with further information and relevant materials. Visit the Who’s Who section for contact details.
Details of FACE/EARN seminar: At what cost? The impact of Finance on Access to Higher Education
The Forum for Access and Continuing Education (FACE) and the Educational Access Research Network (EARN) are hosting a student finance seminar in London on Monday 29 April. This event will consider the evidence concerning the impact of cost on the attitudes of young people regarding progression to higher education and focus on a number of pieces of recent research in this area. For more information, please visit the Aimhigher WECAN website.
New Co-Director at Action on Access announced
Dr David Law has been named as the new Co-Director of Action on Access. David, who is also Pro Vice-Chancellor at Edge Hill University, will have overall responsibility for the work with the Aimhigher programme in collaboration with HEFCE, as well as focusing on contract and financial arrangements and strategic discussions within the team. David replaces Rhiannon Evans who retired from Action on Access at the end of last year.
Details of Graduate Internship Programme
More than 50 universities have taken up the Government’s £13.6 million fund to provide internships in small businesses by the end of the year as part of the Backing Young Britain campaign to help young people into work, which will benefit around 7,000 graduates. For more information, please visit the HEFCE website.
First National Advisory Board meeting to take place
The first meeting of the National Advisory Board (NAB) will take place on Friday 26 March where members including UUK, GuildHE, NUS, HEIs, Connexions and the Frank Buttle Trust. The purpose of the Board is to provide strategic advice for the development and future sustainability of the Aimhigher programme. Drawing on the wide expertise and interests of its members, the Board’s advice will inform the decisions of the Aimhigher Management Group. Visit the Programme Information section for more information on the management of Aimhigher.
Aimhigher Communications Sub-Group
The recently re-established Aimhigher Communications Sub-Group met for the first time earlier this week to discuss the programme’s communications strategy. Key issues discussed by the group this time include plans to engage national stakeholders, the shape of the 2010 Aimhigher Awards and outcomes of the NCRT’s audit of communications resources. The NCRT will provide the Aimhigher Communications Network with further information on the meeting outcomes.
Update about Value of HE campaign
The Value of HE campaign is an initiative led jointly by the University Marketing Forum and Universities UK, which aims to increase public support for higher education. The purpose of the campaign is to deliver a more unified set of messages regarding the contribution made by universities to the lives of the general public. The campaign will centre around a week of activity in the w/c 14 June. Click here for more information about the campaign. The NCRT will provide more information when it is available.
Aimhigher leaflet now available on practitioner website
Copies of Aimhigher: Inspiring Young People, Changing Lives should now have arrived at all partnerships. The leaflet, produced by BIS, provides a broad overview of the Aimhigher programme, as well as key statistics and case studies of students that have benefited from the programme. Partnerships may find it useful for promotional activities, for example to schools, alongside their own localised materials. Visit the Resource Materials section on the practitioner website to download the leaflet.
Aimhigher Greater Manchester: Advanced Apprentices ‘Step-In to HE’
Aimhigher Greater Manchester and Alliance Learning has sponsored fifteen Advanced Apprentices from Alliance Learning, a local WBL Provider, to undertake a module that allows them to experience a taste of University whilst completing their Advanced Apprenticeship. Click here for more information about the programme.
Aimhigher partnership meets with Shadow Minister for Universities and Skills
As part of a series of meetings with MPs across their local area, Aimhigher Hampshire & Isle of Wight met with David Willetts, MP for Havant and the Shadow Minister for Universities and Skills. Tony Acland, Partnership Director, was accompanied by two student ambassadors, and together they gave David an overview of the Aimhigher programme and its work in supporting students locally. The partnership was pleased with the results – despite having only half an hour, they were able to get a significant amount of information across to David and had the opportunity to answer a number of his questions about the programme. As a follow up to this meeting, David has been invited to an Aimhigher event to see the programme in action for himself.
Aimhigher Area Communication Leads have recently been provided with guidance on engaging stakeholders, including MPs. For more information, please speak to your local ACL.
