UHI strategic plan and widening access

UHI's strategic plan 2021-25 states that we aim to be "All inclusive. We are proud to be different. Where learning means more. We offer flexible and supported learning from access level to PhD, which suits more people, at more levels, for more reasons. Where students can start where they need to and progress as far as they want at a pace that is right for them: all within the same institution. The future world of work will require us to be constantly learning, so whatever the stage of life or current qualification, we provide everyone with the opportunity to keep their skills relevant and up to date."

Our priority groups

UHI identifies priority groups within our outcome agreement.  Priority groups that have been identified within the agreement are:

• schools with lower than average progression to higher education
• geographic areas of rurality and rural deprivation
• students from further education or HN backgrounds
• women in science, through Athena Swan work
• entrants from SIMD 20 and 40 percent most deprived areas
• entrants from SHEP schools
• entrants from protected characteristics groups and care leavers,

With reference to these protected characteristic groups, we seek to achieve a student population that is representative of the region we serve. 

Access courses

For people who have been away from study for some time, or don’t have the usual entry requirements for a HN or degree, we have a range of access courses to choose from.  Access courses introduce new students to higher education study and provide the necessary skills to successfully complete a HN or degree qualification at university.  Many also have subject - specific content so students will be studying the subject of their interest during the access year.  Upon completion, students move into the first year of their chosen subject. 

Access courses

It is also important to note that UHI is a partnership of thirteen independent colleges and research institutions. The Post-16 Education (Scotland) Act makes UHI, through a further education regional board, accountable for all college and university-level education in the Highlands and Islands. Within this context it makes little sense to talk of ‘partnering’ with colleges, as UHI itself is a partnership of colleges and institutions, delivering further and higher education at all levels of the SCQF. 

Most academic partners provide a mix of courses which provide access routes into further study.  Courses meet the needs of the local area and learners.  Additionally, where possible, programmes are networked to other campuses, removing potential obstacles to learning presented by distance within the region. 

Accommodation

UHI reserves a number of rooms for Priority Applicants. This means that a number of rooms will be reserved exclusively for Priority Applicants. Once all reserved rooms have been allocated, Priority Applicants will be allocated any remaining unallocated rooms on a first-come, first-served basis.

Applications from students who meet any of the following criteria will be considered a Priority Applicant for the purpose of allocating accommodation (in no particular order):

• Any applicant with a physical or mental impairment (as defined under the Equality Act 2010)
• Any applicant who is a care experienced – Care experienced refers to anyone who has been, or is currently in care. This care may have been provided in many different settings such as, Kinship care (living with a relative who us not your mum or dad) or looked after at home (with the help of social work)
• Any applicant who is estranged – an estranged young person is someone who no longer has the support of their family due to a breakdown in their relationship which has led to ceased contact. This might mean you biological or adoptive parents or wider family members who have been responsible for supporting you in the past. Estranged students have no experience of being in care and do not have a corporate parent in charge of them
• Any applicant who is a carer – A carer is someone who has paid or unpaid caring responsibilities for a family or friend who is frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems
• Any international applicant

Applicants who meet one or more of the above categories should select all those that apply on their application form. Priority applicants may be contacted by the accommodation team once their application is received to discuss further requirements, support, or to request more information.

Accommodation

Admissions

UHI recognises that admissions are a vital aspect of widening participation, and we are committed to recruitment that does not discriminate.  However, we acknowledge that overcoming historic disadvantage requires more than simply ensuring fairness. 

Contextualised Admissions is now established as part of UHI's Admissions Policy and practice, with the aim of mitigating the impact of contextual factors as barriers to progression to HE.  Adopting this specific policy formalises the existing inclusive approach of UHI, enabling monitoring in this area. 

Admissions procedures have been enhanced to process applications in order to support contextualised admissions.  Guidance has been developed for academic staff on how to identify and assess an applicant who has been flagged as having one or more contextual factors.

Admissions policy

Articulation

It is possible to join UHI with a HNC or HND for direct entry to year 2 or 3 of one of our degree programmes.  We encourage applications from students with non-traditional qualifications, including those coming direct from college with a HNC or HND.

In addition to accepting applications from any student with a HN qualification, we also have articulation agreements with selected colleges. This allows entry at a specific level on completion of one of their courses. 

Find out more 

Care experienced

UHI welcomes students who have been or are currently in care or from a looked-after background at any stage in their life, no matter how short, including adopted children who were previously looked-after. This care may have been provided in a one of many different settings such as in residential care, foster care, kinship care, or through being looked-after at home with a supervision requirement. We recognise that this group of students may experience particular challenges which require additional support measures.  As a Corporate Parent, UHI is committed to providing all our care experienced students with a positive experience whilst they are studying with us and to offering the support and opportunities that help them fulfil their potential. 

Support for care experienced students

Equality and diversity work

We are taking a regional approach to developing and reporting on our equalities work by looking across the partnership, taking account of the equalities work of our Academic Partners and the institution as a whole and bringing it together at a university level through the development of an Equalities Mainstreaming Report. 

Mature students

UHI is a partner of SWAP East (Scottish Wider Access Programme). This is a consortium made up of colleges and universities in Scotland.

• Its aims are to promote access to higher education for adult learners who have been out of education for some time, who have few or no formal qualifications, who come from traditionally under-represented groups in HE
• UHI works with SWAP to facilitate appropriate progression routes for students who successfully complete their SWAP access programme to go on to HN or degree courses at UHI

Red button

UHI is committed to enhancing the student experience.  The Red Button is a web-based informal problem-resolution and feedback mechanism.

• Students may use the Red Button to let us know how we are doing, or if they encounter an issue. The service is particularly useful for widening access students who may not know who to contact, or may not feel comfortable speaking to a member of staff directly
• It is a useful mechanism for ensuring fairness, and in providing an easy access route to problem resolution for diverse issues that certain protected characteristic, and other groups may experience

Red Button

Recognition of prior learning

As part of our commitment to widening access to higher education we encourage applications from prospective students who do not have formal entry qualifications. As part of this commitment, UHI supports the principle of recognising prior learning wherever it occurs. 

Provided the learning can be assessed, it may be recognised and credit awarded and / or entry to a formal programme of study allowed.  We also encourage prospective students to apply for recognition of previous formal qualifications for either entry to courses, or credit toward specific qualifications. 

Recognition of prior learning at UHI

School liaison

Widening access is very much at the heart of school liaison activity.

• UHI works closely with Aspire North and has a place on their advisory board
• School partnerships are overseen by the UHI Regional Schools Group
  • The Regional Schools Group aims to develop and oversee the delivery of a partnership-wide strategy for increasing the range of the curriculum (further and higher education) offered to and utilised by schools and school pupils
  • The work of the group includes facilitating an appropriate local delivery model with academic partners up to and inclusive of SCQF Level 7
• School liaison is focused on raising aspirations, especially amongst groups who are known not to be progressing to higher education
  • This work is informed by the strategic plan, outcome agreement and agreed priority groups

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) Outreach Programme

Despite investment to widen and increase participation in science and STEM subjects many areas remain dominated by white male, middle class and able bodied, especially in engineering, physics, and computing. STEM skills are required to meet the future workforce requirements in the region over the next 5 years at a time of a declining and ageing population demographics.

UHI approaches STEM by leading and coordination of the strategic Regional Highlands and Islands STEM Partnership (HISP), which is one of 13 regional groups focussed on the delivery of the Scottish Government STEM strategy. The HISP aim is (add here)

The UHI STEM Outreach Programme adopts a partnership approach, from funding - a pooling of UHI funds and industry donations, to coordinated STEM activities at a local community level to help change mind sets, address stereotypes and inspire STEM with young people. Our UHI STEM model has a focus with early years and primary learners but crucially it is also about increasing STEM confidence with teachers. STEM is a vehicle for equity not a destination, and small sustainable changes can make a difference over time.

Student carers

UHI welcomes students who have caring responsibilities and recognises that this group of students may have particular challenges in juggling their home responsibilities with their studies. 

A carer is defined as ‘‘anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support" (Carers Trust Scotland).  

Support for student carers

Student support

Student support is continually enhanced, and always with a view to widening participation students.  In keeping with the overall aims of widening access at UHI, student support for widening access students is mainstreamed. Of particular benefit to widening access students has been:

• The Essential Student Skills project. The project sought to level the playing field and offer all students the same high quality study skills resources via an online portal. The resources are designed to cover the whole student journey and are generic in nature
• The development of an Online Counselling service, available to students throughout UHI, including those who are geographically remote
• Personal Academic Tutors, the role of PATS is designed to support students academically, and guaranteed appointments each semester are particularly useful for students who may be unsure about the higher education experience
• The range of available mainstream student support is highlighted to widening participation students through targeted emails. These are sent at regular intervals throughout the academic year, highlighting services to targeted students

Student support