Professor Les Ebdon CBE Director of Fair Access to Higher Education

OFFA’s role To promote and safeguard fair access to higher education for people from lower income backgrounds and other under-represented groups. The main way we do this is by approving and regulating access agreements.

Equalities and diversity Equalities Act 2010 ‘protected characteristics’: age disability gender reassignment marriage and civil partnership pregnancy and maternity race religion or belief sex sexual orientation.

UK-domiciled first-degree undergraduate qualifiers receiving a first/2:1 by ethnic group over time

Further differences in outcomes

Equality and diversity: OFFA guidance Compulsory statement A more strategic approach - linking access agreements and equality strategy Encourage universities and colleges to include targets on improving equality and diversity

Race and ethnicity in access agreements 90 per cent of institutions mention race or ethnicity in their access agreement A quarter of institutions have specific targets relating to BME students 16 per cent of access agreements have specific targets for raising BME attainment.

Addressing the whole student lifecycle Supporting students: – preparing for HE – entering HE – throughout the course – onwards to further study or to/within employment Focus of access agreements should reflect the institution’s performance and the priorities that it has identified

“What can we do?” Base your activities and programmes on what’s effective Take a whole institution approach Help to share good practice and research Consider the whole student lifecycle

Any questions? Thank you