Professor Les Ebdon CBE Director of Fair Access to Higher Education

1. Professor Les Ebdon CBEDirector of Fair Access to Higher Education Professor Les Ebdon CBEDirector of Fair Access to Higher Education

2. 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.

3. 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.

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

5. Further differences in outcomes

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. “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

10. Any questions? Thank you enquiries@offa.org.uk 0117 931 7171