News and blog

We will soon be calling for partners to scope out evaluation plans for financial support schemes – with the aim of taking the most feasible projects to evaluation.

Greg Hurst argues that the government’s homelessness strategy overlooks university students, calling for better data, research and targeted institutional support to prevent student homelessness

TASO will soon be inviting applications from independent evaluators for the retrospective evaluation of undergraduate financial support schemes.

Pete Crowson and Mike Kerrigan from Nottingham Trent University explore the importance of universities demonstrating confidence and sound judgement when contributing to the Higher Education Evaluation Library (HEEL).

This Black History Month, Dr Josephine Gabi and Dr Yetunde Kolajo argue that closing the Black awarding gap by 2030–31 requires systemic university change, transparent progress monitoring, and clear accountability for tackling persistent inequalities.

Professor Anna Zimdars reflects on the initial phase of her UKRI–TASO Policy Fellowship, exploring what early work with higher education providers and school advisers reveals about how we conceptualise – and ultimately evaluate – contextual admissions.

This Black History Month, Sir Patrick Vernon, Honorary Professor and Pro-Chancellor for Health at the University of Wolverhampton, highlights the importance of representation, recognition and protection for Black academics in British institutions

TASO awarded funding from the Evaluation Accelerator Fund to evaluate a GCSE exam centre set up by the University of Exeter for children not in school.

All providers, including non-HEAT members, can now submit evaluations to the Higher Education Evaluation Library (HEEL)

Katherine Drew, Evaluation Officer at TASO, describes how student ambassadors can become effective role models by breaking down power dynamics and creating more informal, accessible relationships with pupils.

We are appointing higher education providers to evaluate the impact of their undergraduate financial support schemes.

Elijah Denning, TASO intern and University of Cambridge student, describes how a foundation year can help build confidence, enhance academic readiness, and create a sense of belonging, particularly for those who might not have a clear path into higher education