Contextualised approaches to widening participation: a comparative case study of two UK universities

Butcher, John; Corfield, Rohini and Rose-Adams, John (2012). Contextualised approaches to widening participation: a comparative case study of two UK universities. Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 13 pp. 51–70.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5456/WPLL.13.S.51

Abstract

This article reports on institutional research at two contrasting UK universities, each with different foci in relation to widening participation (WP). The researchers sought to explore senior staff perspectives on the WP agenda at a time of unprecedented uncertainty and turmoil in the UK higher education sector. The research consisted primarily of interview data from university leaders responsible strategically for WP activity. The findings offer a nuanced narrative of the policy and practice of widening participation at two contrasting universities. Researchers found that the WP discourse itself is perceived as confused and discredited. Viewing ‘widening participation students’ as a homogenised group risks both the benefits of differentiated responses through discipline or subject areas and the benefits of more student-centred measures of success.

Viewing alternatives

Metrics

Item Actions

Export

You can export this page using these formats Digital Object Identifier - DOI

About

• Item ORO ID
• 33147
• Item Type
• Journal Item
• ISSN
• 2045-2713
• Extra Information
• Special issue/Winter 2011-12: Student Diversity in Higher Education: Conflicting Realities
• Keywords
• strategy; discipline; leadership; policy; practice; comparative
• Academic Unit or School
• Other Departments > Strategy Office
  Other Departments
• Copyright Holders
• © 2012 The Authors
• Related URLs
• • http://www8.open.ac.uk/about/inclusion-a...(Other)
  • http://wpll-journal.metapress.com/conten...(Other)
• Depositing User
• John Rose-Adams