Closing equality gaps in higher education demands systemic change, new TASO report finds

A new TASO report, published today, finds that robustly evaluated, integrated, institution-wide interventions are needed to effectively close equality gaps in higher education.

Higher education providers often tackle equality gaps through targeted interventions. However, this report, building on the work of Professor Liz Thomas, highlights the importance of a ‘whole-provider approach’ – one that aligns institutional policies and engages all stakeholders from senior leadership to staff and students.

The report ‘Making it everyone’s business: Theories of change for whole-provider approaches in higher education’ underscores the critical role of senior leadership in legitimising and prioritising equality-focused work, acting as a powerful driver for wider engagement and institutional reform. Without this top-level buy-in, there is a risk that initiatives are fragmented and less effective. 

Examples of practice from the universities illustrate how strong governance structures, aligned strategies, and staff communities of practice are being leveraged to embed these principles.

The report identifies six ‘causal pathways’ that drive the aims of effective whole-provider approaches: cultural change through leadership; cultural change through institutional momentum; institutional coherence; capacity and confidence building; student engagement; and evidence-driven improvement.

Embedding equality systemically 

The whole-provider approach advocates aligning institutional policies and engaging a wide range of stakeholders, to provide aggregated impact, compared with delivering standalone individual interventions. This systemic view is crucial for embedding inclusion and reducing inequality across the entire student lifecycle.

The report emphasises that cross-departmental collaboration and policy alignment are essential for reducing silos. This institutional coherence ensures that policies translate into improvements in students’ day-to-day interactions and learning environments. Staff participation in inclusive practices helps to  influence peers and embed long-term institutional change. This represents a shift from ‘add-on’ initiatives to making equality a fundamental part of the institution’s foundation.

Hannah Thomson, Evaluation Manager, and co-author of the report said: “Through our work with our university partners, we are building evidence about the benefits of the whole-provider approaches, focusing on the importance of aligned policies, leadership buy-in and ensuring interventions are not evaluated in isolation.” 

TASO CEO Dr Omar Khan said: “The findings underscore that while individual initiatives have their place, their full potential is unlocked when they are part of a broader, well-articulated whole-provider strategy. This requires a shift in mindset, treating equality as a core institutional objective rather than an isolated project.”

Recommendations for higher education providers

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.

The full report, along with accompanying scoping and case study reports, is available on the project’s resources page.