{"id":10615,"date":"2019-05-30T15:03:32","date_gmt":"2019-05-30T05:03:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sydney.edu.au\/education-portfolio\/ei\/teaching@sydney\/?p=10615"},"modified":"2019-05-30T15:03:32","modified_gmt":"2019-05-30T05:03:32","slug":"widening-participation-grants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/educational-innovation.sydney.edu.au\/teaching@sydney\/widening-participation-grants\/","title":{"rendered":"Widening Participation Grants"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new <\/span>Widening Participation<\/span><\/i> grant category has recently been established as part of the University’s <\/span>Strategic Education Grant<\/span><\/a> (SEG) scheme. This new category aims to promote and embed innovative and inclusive educational practices across teaching and learning at the University of Sydney. Grants of up to $50,000 are available to support initiatives enabling students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds (such as students from low socio-economic status (low-SES) backgrounds, <\/span>Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, and\/or regional and remote areas)<\/span> to engage with, and succeed at, the University of Sydney, in line with the University\u2019s 2016\u201320 Strategic Plan.<\/span><\/p>\n

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We aim to create and sustain a university in which, for the benefit of both Australia and the wider world, the brightest researchers and the most promising students, whatever their social or cultural background, can thrive and realise their potential.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

(Vision, Strategic Plan 2016-2020, University of Sydney, p.2)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

This article was contributed by Mary Teague, Esther Robertshawe, Katy Head, Adam Bridgeman, and Samantha Clarke.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Programs involving university students make a big impact on their university experience.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is “Widening Participation”?<\/h2>\n

Widening Participation is the term used around the world to describe initiatives that aim to increase the access, transition, and retention of students from backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in higher education. In Australia, this includes students from low-SES backgrounds, regional or remote areas, and\/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Widening Participation at the University of Sydney<\/h3>\n

In 2009, <\/span>Widening Participation and Outreach (WPO)<\/span><\/a> (formally Social Inclusion Unit) was established at the University of Sydney as a result of the <\/span>Bradley review<\/span><\/a>, which challenged universities to achieve an \u00a0undergraduate enrolment target of 20% of students from low-SES backgrounds. In 2011, the University of Sydney became a founding member of <\/span>Bridges to Higher Education<\/span><\/i><\/a> and was awarded funding by the Commonwealth Government\u2019s <\/span>Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program<\/span><\/a> (HEPPP) to improve the access and participation of targeted student cohorts. Seed funding was used to stimulate initiatives at a faculty level across the University, with some of these continuing today such as <\/span>The Link Project<\/span><\/a> in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.<\/span><\/p>\n

Widening Participation Grants<\/h2>\n

What is the purpose of Widening Participation grants?<\/h3>\n
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Students on-campus taking part in a Widening Participation program.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Widening Participation (WP) grants are designed to support projects that serve existing units of study, programs, and degrees, as well as projects that can be applied holistically across schools or faculties. They must focus on teaching and learning initiatives that intend to positively impact students’ university experience, engagement, and success. WP grants can also be used for projects that will build the University’s research agenda on social inclusion\/exclusion and link to widening participation objectives documented in faculty strategies, the <\/span>Student Experience Strategy,<\/span><\/a> and the <\/span>Transition and Career Paper (TAC)<\/span><\/a>. Grant projects may also support the career transition of students from underrepresented backgrounds into employment or further study (Strategy 4).<\/span><\/p>\n

What does a Widening Participation grant look like?<\/h3>\n

Small (up to $12,000), medium (up to $35,000), and large (up to $50,000) grants are available in the Widening Participation category. The difference between the grant sizes is intended to reflect the level of support required to complete the project and the impact the project will achieve. Small grants should aim to target changes in teaching approaches at the unit of study level (e.g. embedding inclusive teaching approaches into a single unit). Medium to large grants would demonstrate innovations with a strategic focus looking at barriers within a course or program, and what can put in place to remove those barriers. At a faculty level, grants may be used to identify and implement widening participation across entire programs or degrees or even within entire faculty (e.g. to develop a faculty-based social inclusion planning agenda).<\/span><\/p>\n

What are some possible project areas?<\/h3>\n
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Year 11 students participating in a literacy workshop at The University of Sydney.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The University of Sydney, through <\/span>WPO<\/span><\/a>, already has a well-established outreach program that engages with faculties and schools. The intent of these widening participation grants is to focus on teaching and learning initiatives and research relevant to the experience and participation of students from underrepresented backgrounds at the University of Sydney. This research may include inclusive pedagogy and whole faculty programs that engage and support students from low-SES backgrounds. <\/span><\/p>\n

Suggested topics for projects include initiatives to improve or research factors that contribute to transition and graduate success for students from low-SES backgrounds at the University, institutional barriers that are specific to the University, and inclusive design for student learning and assessment. Some recent research can be found be found on the <\/span>National Centre for Excellence in Student Equity in Higher Education<\/span><\/a> and the <\/span>Centre for Excellence in Equity in Higher Education<\/span><\/a> websites.<\/span><\/p>\n

Project examples that relate to the University\u2019s Access and Participation Plan for <\/span>2018<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>2019<\/span><\/a> include:<\/span><\/p>\n