Project
Project | Evaluating ‘Succeed at Leicester’
14 October 2025
About the project
Our work with the University of Leicester and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research will evaluate the ‘Succeed At Leicester’ programme, which supports incoming first year students as they transition into university life.
The project is part of a wider TASO programme which aims to fill a gap in the evidence on effective ways to support students entering higher education – a period that is widely regarded as a critical milestone in a student’s life.
‘Succeed at Leicester’ is delivered in three stages:
- Pre-arrival online webinars covering a variety of ‘university life’ topics such as how to manage finances, the role of the student union, and ‘a day in the life of a university student’
- An on-campus welcome programme with cohort introductions to help students settle in
- Ongoing support and signposting throughout the term, including guidance on academic skills and access to university resources.
Though open to all students, the programme is designed to be especially helpful for those who may be the first in their family to attend university, with the aim to help level the playing field and ensure that everyone has a strong start at the university.
The impact evaluation will constitute a randomised encouragement design – some students will receive additional communications to help boost the likelihood they will attend the programme’s sessions. An accompanying implementation and process evaluation will include in-depth interviews with staff and students, so that we can understand how the programme works, for whom and in what context.
Background
This is one of three projects that TASO has commissioned to evaluate interventions designed to support students with their transition from school into higher education.
While higher education providers recognise the need to support students during this pivotal transition period, there has been little evaluation of the activities that are offered.