This report provides the findings from a Higher Education Academy commissioned research project into the drivers benefits and costs of embedding widening participation (WP) and student diversity that might be used as elements of a business case approach.
The funding councils and the Academy have been working with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to establish WP as a key theme in strategic and corporate policies and to embed WP and student diversity in organisational practices. This focus on embedding WP and student diversity is however taking place in the context of fewer external funding policy levers to stimulate and promote change. Thus the institutional-level ‘business case’ argument resting on internal drivers for change assumes a greater importance.
The study encompassed both an exploration and analysis of the extant literature and new research evidence in order to provide examples of how WP and diversity policy and practice was constructed understood and implemented by different internal HEI stakeholders. Primary research was carried out using a case study methodology based on a theoretical sampling of eight HEIs across the UK representing the diversity of institutions within the sector.
