Our new Access and Student Success impact report is here
30 Mar 2023
Help us to support talented students from non-traditional backgrounds to access HE and flourish once they’re on campus – and boost your own skills and potential too
Our University has published its new Access and Student Success 2022 Impact Report, which evaluates our work to help talented students from non-traditional backgrounds to access HE – and once on campus, to do well.
The report is filled with inspiring stories and strong statistics. It also shows how staff have benefitted from getting involved – and we’d like other colleagues to sign up and develop their potential too.
Vice Dean for Social Responsibility, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility, Dr Lynne Bianchi explained: “The value is not only to the pupils, but to colleagues too – in upskilling communication of our work to public audiences, enhancing teacher confidence in their subject as well as raising the profile of their field – in our case, STEM – across our great city.”
Lynne is the Director of Science and Engineering Education Research and Innovation Hub (SEERIH), which ran the Great Clean Air Challenge, just one of many educational projects that it designs to connect University research with school pupils. Working in partnership with the Royal Society, the challenge was an opportunity for 25 primary schools to explore the air-quality in their school, while working with a researcher.
Lynne added: “These are opportunities like no other for the young people in our local schools. I encourage staff and students to consider similar projects and events they can get involved with.”
Other benefits include:
- improved knowledge of working with targeted groups identified in our Access and Participation Plan
- feedback from the Access and Student Success team on ideas for working with target learners
- find out who to connect with in your Faculty to deliver access and success work
- find out how to access Faculty funding for new access and success projects
New team, new report – and new collaborations
The impact report is the first produced by the Access and Student Success team within Access, Student Employability, Success and Development (ASESD), in the Division of Student and Academic Services.
Head of Access and Student Success, Sheree Palmer said: “We are extremely proud our work in 2022, and now located in our new home, we will build new collaborations to further improve what we can deliver.
“This report represents a snapshot of our commitment to improving equity of access to higher education, as well as the successful progression of students from underrepresented groups here on campus.”
Some of the highlights from this report include:
- Over 2,000 Access and Student Success activities were delivered,
- 1,337 students took part in our pre-16 programme Gateways,
- there was a 28% increase in the number of students enrolled the Manchester Distance Access Programme,
- the Manchester 10/10 programme launched with 91% of participants reporting a stronger sense of belonging at the university,
- the Careers service named Highflyers Most Targeted University,
- 25 PhD tutors supported 294 students to raise attainment through the Brilliant Club’s Scholars Programme.
Professor Judy Williams, Associate Vice President Teaching, Learning and Students, said: “It is inspiring to hear about all of the fantastic work going on across the University to support underrepresented groups to access higher education.
“I’d like to say congratulations to the Access and Success team and colleagues from across campus who are going above and beyond to enable students to arrive and thrive at the University.”
You can read the full publication at:
To find out more about the team’s work and discuss opportunities for collaboration, contact: