Mainstreaming Equity, Opportunity and Success in Higher Education
Widening
Participation Research Centre,
Edge
Hill University,
3rd
Annual Conference, 14th – 15th April 2010
Holiday
Inn, Lime Street, Liverpool, L1 1NQ
Mainstreaming
Equity, Opportunity and Success in Higher Education
This document provides further
information about the request for institutional case studies.
Conference overview
This two day
international conference in central Liverpool is organised by the Widening
Participation Research Centre at Edge Hill University. It aims to bring together researchers,
practitioners, institutional staff and managers and policy makers from the UK
and beyond to learn from each other about mainstreaming equity, opportunity and
success in higher education.
On Day One there
will be research-based key note presentations from international and national
leaders in the field. There will also be
research and evidence-informed paper and poster sessions. Day 2 will take the form of an international
symposium, examining in-depth institutional approaches to mainstreaming equity,
opportunity and success in higher education and beyond.
The
conference is immediately preceded by an Inaugural Professorial Lecture to be
delivered by Dr Liz Thomas. The Lecture
will be directly relevant to the conference theme, as Liz has been researching
this, and related topics, for over ten years.
Conference theme
This
conference explores the response of, and impact on, higher education
institutions (HEIs) to greater student diversity, in particular, the ways in
which institutions have mainstreamed and embedded widening participation,
equity, opportunity and success. The
conference theme is informed by a number of key principles:
HEIs want to admit the best students possible to
their courses and programmes, irrespective of background or circumstances.
HEIs have a responsibility to ensure all their
students are as successful as possible, irrespective of background or
circumstances.
Success is defined broadly to include academic and
social engagement, effective learning and development, retention,
achievement and progression beyond higher education.
Many institutions want to change themselves to further
promote and enable student diversity and success.
A transformative approach to change values diversity
and uses it as a positive force to inform all aspects of the institution’s
work.
When equity, opportunity and success are
mainstreamed, an institution’s processes and cultures are inclusive and
effective. The needs, interests and
values of diverse students are proactively met and not subsumed.
It is appropriate, useful and cost effective for
staff and units concerned with widening access and participation;
improving student experiences, retention and success; and disability,
equality and diversity to work together and maximise their impact.
This
conference will draw on international and national research, developmental work
and evidence informed experience to explore the theory and practice concerned
with institutional transformation to mainstream equity, opportunity and success
in higher education and beyond.
Call for institutional case studies
We are
looking for a limited number of institutional case studies from the UK and
abroad to reflect on and critically examine mainstreaming equity, opportunity
and success. We are looking for case
studies from institutions that have made considerable progress with regards to mainstreaming
WP and/or equity. We are interested in issues such as what
mainstreaming WP or equity, opportunity and success means in your institution
and how this has been achieved, including the enabling factors, challenges
encountered and recommendations for other institutions.
We will
require a short paper (2500-4000 words) to be prepared in relation to a set of
headings and made available to delegates prior to the conference. During the second day of the conference
participants will critically engage with the case studies to challenge and
develop their own understanding of these issues. Analysis of the papers will inform on-going
research by the Widening Participation Research Centre about embedding WP. The case studies will be published as part of
the final research report and, with authors’ permission and acknowledgement,
may be used in other future publications.
If you feel
your institution has made positive progress towards mainstreaming equity,
opportunity and success and you would be willing to prepare an institutional
case study, please complete the Preliminary Pro forma or email the following
information to Liz Thomas, (liz.thomas@edgehill.ac.uk)
by
11th December 2009.
Institution name
Your name
Your role
Brief explanation of why you think your institution
would make a good case study. In
particular, the approach you have taken to mainstreaming equity, why you
think you have made good progress and future priorities. (No more than 600 words).
Ability to produce a 2500-4000 word case study paper
by 12th March 2010 and to attend the conference on 14th
and 15th April 2010 in Liverpool.
We will
inform you of the outcome of your proposal by the 22nd December
2009, and provide you will further details of what is required.
