The Retention and Attainment strategic enhancement programme is aimed at HE providers with the motivation and capacity to work towards the reduction of attrition rates and towards equality of outcomes within their institution. The programme will support participants in the use of data to identify and explore the needs of particular student groups across the student life-cycle to develop ways in which students can be included in and through the curriculum and to institutionalise practice that ensures students belong are engaged and can succeed. The Programme will be based around the HEA’s developing Retention and Attainment framework which brings together key outputs of HEA work with the sector over many years. Participants will complete the programme with the ability to use and apply the Framework within and across departments and at whole institutional level.
| Higher education provider | Project lead | Project |
|---|---|---|
| Arts University Bournemouth | Pauline Smith | AUB will work to engage staff directly by expanding further their knowledge and understanding of the significance of equality and diversity issues. This will be achieved by a series of guest lectures and workshops to explore obstacles to the inclusion and belonginess of minority student groups. |
| Bournemouth University | Anita Diaz | The Bournemouth team will produce guidance and toolkits to enable staff SUBU and students to promote equitable retention and attainment. |
| Leeds Trinity University | Professor Judy Donnelly | The Leeds Trinity University team plan to enhance progress tutor support for first year students across the University then working with colleagues across the University to support pilot studies and development work to achieve this aim. |
| Newham College | David Arnaud | Newham College plan to improve retention and attainment across all of their programmes in particular at level 4. To complete this process the team plan to review existing and developing strategies. |
| Sheffield Hallam University | Manny Madriga | Sheffield Hallam are exploring the attitudes and practices of teaching and support staff engaged in addressing the BME gap attainment at course and department level. |
| University of Birmingham | Jane Tope | The Birmingham team plan to embed their student ambassador initiative so that all Schools identify students who can engage with them and report to their School committees. Staff need to better understand the barriers their students face and work constructively and consistently with students to implement change. |
| University of Chester | Dr Paul Yates | This work will impact on the design delivery and content of learning activities and assessment at level 4 leading to improved transition from the pre-HE learning experience and enhanced student confidence/resilience achievement and retention. |
| University of Dundee | Murray Frame | The Dundee team aim to address the issue of anxiety triggers by raising student aspiration through innovative course design involving an immersive strategy. |
| University of East Anglia | Dr Richard Harvey | The UEA working group are building on previous achievements in enhancing the student experience with particular attention to the needs of students from disadvantaged background in order to strengthen the University's Retention and Success Strategy. |
| University of Liverpool | Dr Ulrike Bavendiek | The Liverpool team will draw on their experience in the area of learner awareness gathered in the language awareness module to create and update materials and support mechanisms that are responsive to changes in teaching cultures in schools and HE. The team will further evaluate the services in the Modern Languages Resource Centre offered to all students in particular the benefits of face-to-face support and online support for independent learning. |
| University of Wolverhampton | Dr Anthea Gregory | Existing and new initiatives at Wolverhampton will be explored to develop a framework for a CPD toolkit to embed best practice into the learning and teaching practices of our staff. |