The Schools Network Access Program  (SNAP) is an access scheme developed in 2001  to  enhance access of students from designated Victorian secondary schools to Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and to University programs at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). SNAP is based on an evaluation by the  secondary school  of  students’  potential  and  capacity  to  succeed. As well as on a student statement supported by a range of outreach activities, folio preparation scholarships and capability building at the school level.
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The  Academic  Advancement  Program  (AAP)  of  the  University  of  California  Los  Angeles  (UCLA)  has  been  evolving for over 40 years. The program improves the academic achievement of historically underrepresented groups, which originally targeted particularly African Americans and Latinos but now extends to students from disadvantaged  backgrounds  of  all  races.  APP  is  holistic,  targets  students  and  staff  and  provides  an  array  of  services and programs related to curriculum-­‐ and policy development, community-­‐ and parents engagement and  professional  development.  One  of  the  elements  of  success  is  the  early  outreach  part  of  the  program  through the Center of Community College Partnerships (CCCP) to prepare students for successful admission to selective universities like UCLA. Through CCCP, UCLA works with 21 community colleges from the LA area. Most of the colleges have a large share of underrepresented students. Another important part of the success is the holistic  approach  and  vision  on  making  excellence  inclusive  by,  having  high  expectations  of  all  students,  creating a campus climate where students feel they belong as well as a high level of support.
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Paris Montagne Association was created in 2006 and runs an annual science festival. Students and researchers at  the  École  Normale  Supérieure  wished  to  share  their  passion  for  science  by  giving  others,  a  diverse  and  younger generation in Paris, discover the world of research through a science festival. Paris Montagne works on  a  long-­‐term  basis  with  high  school  students,  and  with  the  students  belonging  to  the  “Science  Académie”  program. The application forms are distributed in the Parisian suburbs. This case is highly inspiring and initiated by researchers and academic staff inspired by the Hungarian Kut Diak movement in order to address inequality made clear by the riots of 2005.
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Tū Kahika is an award that supports young Māori students interested in a career in health, into and through the University  of  Otago’s  Foundation  Year  health  sciences  course  and  beyond.  Tū  Kahika  prepares  students  for  further study in health sciences (particularly Health Sciences First Year) by providing wrap-­‐around academic, cultural, pastoral and financial support over the year. As with other indigenous groups, Māori are significantly under‐represented  in the health workforce relative t  the  population size  (Ministry  of  Health,  2006).  This  under-­‐representation also occurs within a context of marked ethnic inequalities in education and health. Māori experience disproportionately greater health need, morbidity and mortality when compared with non-­Māori in New Zealand. This project is implemented on the level of students, local communities and the management of institutions.  Tū  Kahika  provides  a  very  effective  first  year  tertiary  experience  for  Māori  students,  preparing  them for later health science study. The programme’s success is founded on being culturally responsive, academically robust and strengths based. Tū Kahika is successfully contributing to increasing the Māori health workforce in New Zealand.
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Arbeiterkind.de is Germany’s largest community for first generation university students. The program aims to give first generation students a strength-­‐focused positive identity in relation to higher education, via 70 local groups run by centrally supported volunteers. This involves one to one and group peer learning  and  counselling. ArbeiterKind.de’s vision is: every suitably qualified child from a non-­‐academic family (first generation  students) should have the opportunity for  educational  advancement. ArbeiterKind.de envisions a Germany.
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The University of Mainz General Students’ Committee have provided a financial support service to students in crisis  for  the  past 15 years. This includes grants and scholarships, financial counselling and free legal advice. Often students do not only face challenges and obstacles while enrolling for higher education, but also through their whole student life. The easy to access peer counseling offer is open for all students of the Johannes Gutenberg University and its future students. Legal and financial advisory hours are only open for already enrolled students of the university. The main group seeking for help and the main target group of this intervention is students from a low socio economic status background. Since the intervention is running it became clear, that there is a diversity of problems and not all of them are related to the socio economic status background of students. Counseling can include support for finding an affordable accommodation or to get working permission for a third country student. In short: all kind of social affairs related problems are part of the peer-­counseling program. This program is a student union led programme, funded by student membership fees and donations. Has been running for 15 years and exists in many German universities.
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Professor Fluffy is the project guide that inspires primary school children and their parents through an introductory journey into Higher Education. The programme based at the University of Liverpool is implemented across Merseyside tackling inequalities for socio economically disadvantaged communities. The programme includes Professor Fluffy visiting schools, a teacher’s pack, online resources; university visits including parents and Professor Fluffy Road show. The programme has been evaluated as a success and has been replicated.
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The Manchester Access Programme (MAP) is The University of Manchester’s (TUM) social mobility programme for Y12/13 students in Greater Manchester. It is highly targeted at talented post-­‐16 learners from backgrounds currently under-­‐represented in higher education and aims to support them into The University of Manchester and other research-­‐intensive universities, thereby contributing to enhanced long-­‐term employment prospects and social mobility. The programme targets groups that are less likely to proceed to higher education. MAP requires that students go to a state school and don’t have a parental history of higher education. In addition to this, MAP examined whether the student received free school meals, are in receipt of the 16-­‐19 bursary, and if they have ever been in local authority care. This is because these students are traditionally less likely to proceed to university. MAP recruits students who have the talent to succeed at The University of Manchester, and uses their GCSE grades (or equivalent) to measure this.
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The Brilliant Club is a non-­‐profit organisation that exists to widen access to top universities for outstanding pupils from non-­‐selective state schools. The primary activity is to recruit, train and place doctoral and postdoctoral researchers in non-­‐selective schools and colleges to deliver programmes of university-­‐style tutorials to small groups of outstanding pupils with the aim to develop the knowledge, skills and ambition of these pupils and secure places at top universities. This case is innovative using funding for PhD students to gain workplace skills to provide inspiration and support to young people from socio economic backgrounds that face barriers to accessing Higher Education. The project also collaborates with the private sector.
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Thanks to this service which gives tailored support to students with mental-­‐health issues, allowing them to gain access to, participate in and complete Higher Education, participating students are able to reach comparable outcomes as their peers. London Borough of Hackney has a high prevalence of mental health conditions in the population. There are also significant pockets of multiple deprivations. The aim of the service is to recruit and support students with mental health conditions through further education and beyond. The service advocates on behalf of students and is student led, the students set their own goals and support is tailored towards each on a case-­‐by-­‐case basis. This case is in Further Education but targets a group that is hard to engage in higher education and is a very good model strongly tied to local institutions addressing local need. The programme has good data and has a tool kit for replication. It is innovative in that is works with referrals from Mental Health services and raises awareness within the college with staff and pupils on mental health and wellbeing. This is felt to be an excellent model for HEIs.
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A partnership between Canadian, Kenyan Universities and NGO’s supports refugees in Dadaab, Kenya into gender equitable teacher training diplomas. The programme has ‘stacked’ discrete elements, which result in internationally recognised qualifications that can contribute to a full degree. Although this is not a grass roots case it was felt to be highly inspiring, innovative and demonstrates how HEIs can use online learning platforms to build capacity in very marginal communities through partnership working. The target group are first of all refugees. In the majority of cases, BHER is involving refugees from Somalia. Out of the overall amount of students attending the courses through BHER, 75% are refugees, while 25% are local students. At the same time, the target group of this project are young women – with a focus on gender equality. Usually women don’t attend even secondary education and therefore hardly qualify for the higher education. Therefore, the project aims at involving them, in the first year group with 30% and in the second phase with 40%.
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OURS at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology aims to empower women, especially women of colour to aim for higher positions in Higher Education. The program is provided online therefore academic professionals can participate as well. A special focus lays on the STEM disciplines. This is a leadership programme targeting Black and ethnic minority women. The idea was initiated by the Chicago School for Professional Psychology in particular by Dr. Orlando Taylor who has dedicated his life to access and equity in higher education. He and other university leaders identified the lack of women and especially women of colour in leadership positions in academia as a whole, but in STEM in particular.
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The programme builds links into the Gypsy Roma community through its existing students. Students are supported through mentoring and tailored modules of support during weekends and summer camps that builds on learning, social engagement and communication competencies. Gypsy Roma students are supported into professional communities whilst building capacity in their own communities. Current students are organising their own programmes and applying for funding.
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