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| AccessHE | |
|---|---|
| Name | AccessHE |
| Formation | 2015 |
| Type | Non-profit educational charity |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Region served | United Kingdom |
AccessHE is a UK-based charity focused on widening higher education participation and promoting fair access to universities across England and Northern Ireland. It works with secondary schools, further education colleges, universities, and funding bodies to support underrepresented students entering higher education. The organization operates alongside statutory agencies and sector bodies to shape policy, deliver outreach, and evaluate access activities.
AccessHE was established in 2015 amid sector responses to changes introduced by the Office for Fair Access and the implementation of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017. Its founding followed regional consolidation of widening participation work previously undertaken by consortia linked to institutions such as the University of London, King's College London, Queen Mary University of London, and the University of Westminster. Early initiatives aligned with guidance from the Office for Students and research from the Higher Education Funding Council for England and drew on models developed by networks like the Aimhigher partnerships and the Russell Group outreach frameworks. Over the late 2010s, AccessHE expanded links with local authorities including Greater London Authority and devolved administrations exemplified by engagement with Department for the Economy (Northern Ireland).
AccessHE’s mission emphasizes widening participation, social mobility, and lifelong learning in line with priorities articulated by bodies such as the Office for Students and the Department for Education. Its core objectives include raising aspirations in schools served by the Pupil Premium designation, supporting progression for students from areas defined by the Index of Multiple Deprivation, and contributing to metrics used by the Teaching Excellence Framework and institutional access agreements. The charity frames its aims to complement statutory duties under the Equality Act 2010 and strategic plans by regional university groups like the Cathedral Group and the Million Plus association.
AccessHE runs outreach programs targeting students in partnership with further education providers such as City and Islington College and secondary schools in boroughs like Hackney and Tower Hamlets. Core initiatives include summer schools modelled on programmes by the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge outreach teams, mentoring schemes similar to those used by Uni Connect consortia, and teacher professional development tied to curricula from the Department for Education. It coordinates contextual admissions pilots akin to approaches from the University of Bristol and the University of Manchester, and delivers data-driven interventions using statistics from the Higher Education Statistics Agency and postcode-linked measures such as POLAR. Collaborative projects have mirrored national campaigns including the National Collaborative Outreach Programme and local employability efforts connected to the Mayor of London's skills strategies.
AccessHE is governed by a board comprising representatives from universities, colleges, and community organizations, often including staff seconded from institutions such as London South Bank University, Brunel University London, and Birkbeck, University of London. Funding streams include grants from charitable foundations like the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and contracts with public funders including the Office for Students and local enterprise partnerships such as London Councils. Universities contribute through membership subscriptions and project-specific funding modeled on practices from the Russell Group and the University Alliance. Financial oversight aligns with Charity Commission reporting requirements and audit practices used by sector bodies like the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
Partnerships span universities, colleges, schools, local authorities, and national organizations. Collaborating higher education partners have included Goldsmiths, University of London, City, University of London, and London Metropolitan University. School and college partners have involved networks coordinated by the Association of Colleges and local multi-academy trusts such as Ark Schools. AccessHE also works with research centres at institutions like the Institute of Education and evaluation partners including consultancy groups formerly engaged by the Social Mobility Commission. International links echo outreach models from organisations such as the Institute of International Education and comparative research with agencies like OECD.
Evaluation of AccessHE programmes has used metrics from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, progression rates tracked through the National Pupil Database, and contextual indicators like Index of Multiple Deprivation and POLAR quintiles. Independent evaluations have compared outcomes to benchmarks set by the Office for Students and analysed long-term progression into universities in lists reflecting participation trends at institutions such as the University of East London and Middlesex University. Reports have highlighted improvements in attainment and applications among target cohorts similar to findings reported by the National Foundation for Educational Research and Education Policy Institute studies.
Critiques of AccessHE mirror broader debates about widening participation, including questions raised by commentators associated with the Higher Education Policy Institute about efficacy, targeting, and cost-effectiveness of outreach interventions. Some observers have compared programme reach and impact to national initiatives such as Uni Connect and argued for clearer outcome attribution amid concurrent policy shifts from the Department for Education and regulatory changes under the Office for Students. Allegations periodically voiced in sector discourse concern duplication of effort with university-led outreach and the balance of short-term recruitment goals against long-term social mobility objectives championed by organisations like the Social Mobility Commission.
Category:Charities based in London Category:Higher education in the United Kingdom