Project | Developing theories of change for whole-provider approaches

About the project

Higher education providers often address equality gaps through specific, targeted initiatives. However, this project emphasises the value of taking a whole-provider approach – one that connects institutional policies and involves everyone, from senior leaders to staff and students.

Working collaboratively with Professor Liz Thomas and six UK universities, the project used a case study approach to explore how these whole-provider strategies function in practice and what makes them successful. Through this collaboration, we developed theories of change that mapped out how actions lead to desired outcomes, helping institutions to plan and evaluate their work more effectively.

Examples from participating universities show how strong governance, aligned strategies, and staff communities of practice can help embed equality-focused principles throughout an institution. The project identified six key factors –or causal pathways’ – that contribute to success: leadership-driven cultural change, institutional momentum, organisational coherence, capacity and confidence building, student engagement, and evidence-based improvement.

A consistent finding across all six case studies was the critical role of senior leadership. When leaders visibly prioritise equality and inclusion, it legitimises the work and inspires wider engagement across the institution. Without this commitment, initiatives risk becoming fragmented and less effective.

Recommendations for the sector:

1. Use a theory of change to frame the whole-provider approach: Developing a theory of change helps to identify key causal pathways and outcomes, forming a coherent strategy and basis for evaluation.
2. Be intentional about areas of focus and level of detail: Use the whole-provider approach toolkit to help identify and address strengths and areas for development. Clearly differentiate between student-facing interventions, institution-wide changes, and business-as-usual activity. Create more detailed theories of change for specific initiatives where needed.
3. Embed the provider’s context: Ground the approach in the provider’s specific context, informed by student and staff input, institutional data, and alignment with wider strategies.
4. Collaborate with staff and students: Involve a range of stakeholders, including professional services staff, academic staff, and students, to build shared ownership and ensure diverse perspectives.
5. Adopt an iterative process: Treat the theory of change as a living document, refining it over time through regular review and monitoring to remain responsive to change.

Resources

Background

Following an open call in January 2025, six higher education providers were selected to join a TASO project focused on developing theories of change for their whole-provider approaches to reducing equality gaps in higher education.

The Office for Students (OfS, 2023) defines a whole-provider approach as one that improves “alignment and consistency across the organisation to create an approach from which all students benefit, irrespective of where they are located within the provider.”

The following institutions collaborated closely with TASO and Professor Liz Thomas to deliver the project:

• Buckinghamshire New University
• University of Bradford
• Lancaster University
• Sheffield Hallam University
• Teesside University
• University of York