Blog26 May 2026
Our sixth annual conference, Collaborate to evaluate – held on 12 May 2026 in London – showcased the higher education sector’s progress and expertise in evaluating its widening-participation interventions. It also highlighted the crucial role collaboration plays in the evaluation process, and in achieving social mobility and justice more broadly.
When TASO was set up, there was already lots of work underway in universities and colleges to address equality gaps – interventions, programmes, and leadership commitments.
There was, however, much less evaluation of these activities – the ‘what works’ question. ‘Collaborate to evaluate’ was an opportunity to highlight, celebrate and scrutinise the progress across the sector. The posters and presentations, and the vibrant discussion on the day, were evidence of a strong community of practice, with evaluation now firmly embedded into the core of the widening participation work.
Making friends and influencing people
Throughout the talks and discussions during the day, a clear theme emerged: collaboration and effective teamwork, both internally and with external colleagues, is critical to successful evaluation.
In his opening remarks at the conference, Professor Chris Millward, interim Director for Fair Access and Participation at Office for Students, discussed the need to broaden access and participation work beyond the school-to-university pathway and include part-time and later-in-life entry to university, requiring closer collaboration between universities, colleges and better alignment with local needs.
A key message was that relationships and trust matter, whether internally or externally. Some even referred to collaboration partners as ‘friends’.
A recurrent theme was to identify both the key ingredients to successful collaboration, as well as the barriers to it. Across the day, some key enablers were identified: a shared vision, convergent interests, adequate resourcing and good communication across partners. Although there was widespread recognition that ‘collaboration’ means a variety of things, some more formal and some more informal, a key message was that relationships and trust matter, whether internally or externally. Some even referred to collaboration partners as ‘friends’.
Access, participation, collaboration and competition
There was also a discussion of external factors as key ingredients to collaboration: public attitudes, social change, and political or regulatory factors. In the context of evaluation, there was recognition that the access and participation plans regulated by the Office for Students (OfS) have been a key enabler of an increased focus on evaluation and what works in addressing student inequalities.
The barriers to collaboration were, in some ways, the reverse of the enabling ingredients, with resourcing cited widely, and not just in terms of finance. If staff don’t have the time to cultivate relationships, collaboration is less likely to succeed. Similarly, regulation was noted as a key enabler, but also as a potential barrier. Without regulatory or other incentives, there is less scope for effective and sustained collaboration. In this context, Chris Millward’s speech, two panel discussions, and questions from the audience addressed the question of how the OfS could or should better enable greater collaboration, particularly at a regional level.
Perhaps more challenging still was the issue of competition in the sector. While collaboration and shared learning is more feasible in the context of the student experience, where higher education providers have already enrolled students, the access space is increasingly marked by sharp competition for students. This competition can be a major barrier for collaboration, though some suggested that as evaluators we can seek to ‘put a pin’ in the issue and focus on what works.
Building the evidence
In my opening remarks, I reflected on how TASO has helped move the needle on building the evidence, as well as supporting the sector to gain the skills to evaluate in their context. I’d like to thank each and every one of the presenters at the conference, and the many partners we’ve collaborated with – more than 40 providers over the last six years. Together we’ve shown that working in collaboration doesn’t just improve knowledge, but policy and practice.
TASO can only do so much ourselves. Internally, we like to say that TASO is small but mighty. The reality is that we are a lean team with limited resources. If we as a sector are serious about making real change – particularly in trying financial times – we need to come together more effectively to share learnings, and chart a path forwards. TASO hopes to facilitate this by acting as the sector nerve centre for evidence on what works best to tackle equality gaps.
One way we’re hoping to enable this is through the Higher Education Evaluation Library (HEEL) – developed in partnership with the Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT). The HEEL will be a freely accessible database of evaluations focused on access, success and progression interventions, with the aim of supporting knowledge exchange, fostering collaboration, and supporting the dissemination of evaluation evidence. It will also help identify trends in evaluation practice across the sector.
The vice chancellor and the student union president-elect
Among those committed to social mobility and social justice, it’s always been important to involve those impacted by an inequality or injustice, sometimes referred to those with ‘lived experience’. A common refrain is ‘nothing about us without us’. It was fitting, then, that our conference ended with a discussion about collaboration with a student. TASO’s Chair, the University of Chester Vice Chancellor Professor Eunice Simmons spoke with Will Gaines, President-elect, Vice President Student Life, Chester Students’ Union.
Both Will and Eunice noted that if students belong to a society, sports or otherwise, their academic outcomes improve.
In a wide-ranging conversation, they reinforced that collaboration, teamwork and support are essential ingredients for both students and equality teams in terms of effective working, belonging and achieving positive outcomes.
Will did note at the end that as a student he wasn’t always engaged in university support services, suggesting that ‘collaboration’ may then require meeting students where they are, whether that be student societies or off campus. He also highlighted the crucial role of student representatives, even though their experiences are not wholly representative of the entire student population.
Social change and collaboration
All social change requires collaboration, from activists on the ground to political leaders amending legislation. A what works approach to evaluation is necessary but tackling inequalities in higher education will require the government, the regulator, vice chancellors, and students working together.
This year’s conference showed the commitment to collaboration across the sector, and real examples of it working in practice. We can’t ignore the challenges or barriers to effective collaboration, but based on the energy, commitment of work of those attending our conference, I’m confident that we can tackle those barriers just as we can address the barriers to equal opportunities and outcomes in higher education more widely.