Students gathering

Following an open call to higher education providers in July 2023, the University of East Anglia, the University of Huddersfield, Lancaster University, and Nottingham Trent University have been appointed as partners in a new project. The project will use institutional data to carry out robust evaluations of the effectiveness of post-entry activities designed to reduce equality gaps.

According to the TASO evidence toolkit there is only weak or emerging evidence for the impact on equality gaps of post-entry interventions. This project will contribute to the evidence base and support the sector in carrying out their own evaluations of post-entry interventions.

We have partnered with a team from the Staffordshire Centre of Learning and Pedagogic Practice at Staffordshire University who will act as an independent evaluator for the project. The evaluator will develop an Enhanced Theory of Change for each provider’s chosen post-entry intervention, devise a set of analysis plans, and carry out a robust impact evaluation.

The post-entry programmes that are being evaluated are:

  • Peer Assisted Learning programme (University of East Anglia)
  • Low Stakes Assessments (University of Huddersfield)
  • Lancaster Success Programme (Lancaster University)
  • Black Leadership Programme (Nottingham Trent University) 

In addition to the Theories of Change and impact analyses, all project partners will contribute to a framework/typology of post-entry activities and a guide to using and developing data infrastructure for tracking student engagement with post-entry support.

The results are due in early 2024 and a final report is expected in the spring.