Access
and
Success

Alongside our core programmes, our Access and Success Projects team collaborates with other organisations to provide bespoke small and large scale projects.

Access and Success Projects

Alongside our core programmes, we collaborate with institutions to deliver additional access and student success projects to support their priorities. Each project is specific to the needs of the partner and builds on our experience of working with the PhD community to develop key academic skills and self-efficacy to support students accessing and succeeding at university.

Access 

We partner to deliver and support university access projects covering three areas:

  • Delivering a programme: whether it be university-style learning as part of a summer school, a one-off university taster session or a programme supporting undergraduates to develop key academic skills or transition to university.
  • Resources and programme design: we can help to develop programmes or create specific resources to be used in student outreach, transition to university, or student activities. 
  • Training packages: through training with us, teachers can develop their support for students thinking about going to university, as well as developing inclusive teaching and learning practices for university staff and student ambassadors.

We also work with schools and multi-academy trusts to deliver one-off university style seminars and tutorials, as part of a wider programme of support.

Trinity Biology Scholars

We are delivering a bespoke Biology Scholars Programme, using our experienced tutors to support young people from less advantaged backgrounds to explore the Natural Sciences course at Cambridge, in collaboration with the Trinity Outreach team.

Sanctuary Scholars

We have designed and delivered a programme specifically for Key Stage four pupils from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. Through PhD tutor led tutorials and a visit to the University of Manchester, they will experience university style learning and find out how to access financial and pastoral support in higher education.

Year 12 Summer Schools

In 2023 we are working with Imperial College, London and King’s College London to deliver three bespoke summer schools for Key Stage five pupils. Pupils will spend one week with an expert PhD tutor, either online or in person, with the opportunity to write a university style assignment and receive feedback.

Success 

Our student success work focuses on developing students’ academic self-efficacy and sense of belonging through partnerships with schools, universities and academics. We do this through:

  • Transition programmesthat support students as they move from school or college into university, like our new programme, Join the Dots
  • Inclusive teaching and learning practice training to share our expertise in training PhD researchers in effective teaching techniques with university teaching staff and undergraduate students.

Sussex Academic Mentoring

We partnered with The University of Sussex in 2021-2 and 2022-3 to support undergraduate and postgraduate students most at risk of withdrawing from university, or recently returned from a break in their studies. Through 1-1 and 1-2 mentoring from PhD researchers, students developed their study skills and brought specific academic challenges to their mentor to gain support with them

SOAS Inclusive Teaching Workshop

We have partnered with SOAS in 2022 and 2023 to deliver an inclusive teaching workshop to undergraduate students on the Colonial Curricula module. This workshop supported students to design their own teaching material, as part of an end of module assessment.

The academic mentoring programme really helped me be empathetic to myself and gave me confidence in my academic skills. Mentoring really helped me with planning and preparing for my essays and dissertation.

Students very visibly enjoyed the clarity and interactive nature of the session. All the student comments I overheard when people were leaving were full on enthusiasm and positive engagement.

Get in touch

If you would like to discuss Access and Success Projects or Research and Evaluation Consultancy, please get in touch via the button below.