Using data and case studies to inform and change admissions policy and practice

1. Using data and case studies to inform and change admissions policy and practice Michael Hill Kingston University June 2003

2. Structure of presentation • The university context • Kingston University and widening participation • How data and case studies can be agents of change • The Resource and Action Planning Pack • The Recruitment and Admissions Action Plans • The UCAS datasets • The Kingston University Retention Project • The Future • Contact Details

3. The university context • Over 16,000 students • Comprehensive degree programme offer • Record of high quality in teaching and graduate employability • University mission has a clear focus on WP • Increasing number of applications • Strong sub regional network of FE Colleges • WP funds used to support initiatives by faculties and departments addressing life cycle model • WP strategy intertwined with L and T Strategy

4. Kingston University and widening participation • University as a whole “hits” HEFCE WP benchmarks • Undergraduate profiles differ across the university • Over 50% of undergraduates come from local region • Increasing activity with schools and colleges under WP Projects and Partnerships for Progression • Current issues: • Treatment of UCAS applications in the light of appropriate offers, conversion to CF, avoidance of clearing, pre-sessional activities • First year experience - learning from results of University Retention Project • Foundation Degree and other new curriculum initiatives

5. How data and case studies and other results of research – can be agents of change in admissions practice (could also be curriculum development and retention) • A RESOURCE and ACTION PLANNING PACK for all staff involved in admissions (senior management, admin departments, admissions tutors) • challenge assumptions • raise awareness • change attitudes • confirm examples of good practice • show where good practice has been effective • encourage engagement in internal strategies • encourage engagement in external strategies • targeting of initiatives: internal and external • aid to monitoring and evaluating effectiveness of actions

6. The Resource and Action Planning Pack • Contents Page shows approach: • 1. National Perspective: NAO Report: under-represented groups, causes of and combating non-progression. • 2. Overview of KU Admissions Procedures • 3. Analysing admissions data (see later) • 4. WP Recruitment and Admissions Action Plan • 5. Case studies of KU practice in orientation and first year experience eg Healthcare Pre-Sessional Courses, Arts and Social Science first year modules “Aspects of …..” • 6. National institutional case studies on admissions practice - generic and subject specific eg Fair Enough Project, University Progression Agreements

7. The WP Recruitment and Admissions Action Plan • Issue: Under-representation of social class 111m- V, ethnic minorities, gender, age, disability in APPLYING, RECEIVING OFFERS, ACCEPTING OFFERS, REGISTERING AT UNIVERSITY • “Please tick the initiatives you want your degree programme/faculty/department to develop…:” • Applying: EG: Student Ambassador Programmes, Yr 8 - 11 (Faculty example), Taster Days (Yr 8, 9) Faculty example), Post AS Summer Schools (case study), Targeted Open Days for students and parents (Faculty example), E-mentoring schemes (University Research Project - Atlantic Philanthropies)

8. The WP Recruitment and Admissions Action Plan(continued) • Receiving offers: EG: Review guidelines provided to central admissions, Use of success criteria (Fair Enough Project), Develop progression agreements (Chester College example), Exclusion of culturally narrow interview selection criteria, Refer unsuccessful applicants to more appropriate programmes (Faculty example) • Accepting offers: EG: Review form/style/content of communication sent to applicants (Faculty example, University Retention Project) Targeted post offer events (Faculty example), Constructive feedback offered to unsuccessful interviewees (Faculty example) • Registering at university: EG Pre-sessional courses (Faculty example), Develop Blackboard module to “ease progression” (University Retention Project)

9. Student applies HEI makes offer Student responds Outcome Continuation to second year UCAS data to inform Action Planning (can be shown at level of university, faculty or degree programme for social class, ethnicity, entry qualifications, age, gender , disability)

10. UCAS datasets can also be used to compare treatment of associate college cohorts

11. Kingston University Retention Project Aims • To identify groups most likely to withdraw • To identify the main reasons for withdrawal • To link the university experience with at risk groups and reasons for withdrawal Methodology • Profiles students from university data • Telephone Interviews with withdrawn students • Focus groups with retained students Key findings • Students not in halls, those admitted through clearing are most at risk. • Programme not meeting expectations, finance and travel were the most cited reasons for withdrawal • Expectations closely associated with class size, travel and admission through clearing. • Main issues: Access to academic support, formative feedback, social integration and peer support.

12. The future • WP Resource and Action Planning Pack began as initiative to engage staff in WP debate • Now dropping the “WP” and becoming an instrument to take forward results of review of recruitment and admissions • Useful focus for engagement of academics and administrators • Role in the pack for results of institutional research, data and case studies will be vital

13. Contact details • Michael Hill • Head, Widening Participation Unit • Millennium House • 21 Eden Street • Kingston • Tel: 020 8547 7758 • Fax: 020 8547 7789 • E.Mail M.HILL@KINGSTON.AC.UK

14. Contact details Kingston University Retention Project • Steve May • Academic Development • River House • 51 High Street • Kingston • Tel: 020 8547 7000 • E.Mail: S.MAY@KINGSTON.AC.UK