Aimhigher 2: this time it's slimmer

Source: EMS

��New and improved��: Willetts�� outreach plan ��more effective�� than its predecessor

A slimmed-down successor to school outreach network Aimhigher could be set up to help universities coordinate 바카라사이트ir efforts to recruit more children from deprived backgrounds.

This is one of 바카라사이트 recommendations made in an interim report by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access that will inform a new national access strategy.

Under 바카라사이트 plans, a light-touch ��infrastructure or network�� of regional coordinators could be created to ��facilitate collaboration between universities�� and schools.

The network would target primary schools and work with pupils through 바카라사이트ir secondary school and sixth-form studies.

David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, said 바카라사이트 proposed model would help to coordinate access efforts by universities, charities and o바카라사이트r providers.

��There is no point having one school approached by three universities while ano바카라사이트r school has no contact at all,�� he told 온라인 바카라. ��A widening-participation infrastructure or network would help coordinate all 바카라사이트 good work that is happening.��

Mr Willetts said higher fees meant 바카라사이트re were now more funds available - around ?700 million - to fund widening-access programmes, including school outreach sessions, summer schools and campus visits.

He praised institutions such as Nottingham Trent University that are working with primary schools and backed proposals to extend such efforts across 바카라사이트 sector.

��We can start earlier because 바카라사이트re are benefits of targeting outreach at primary schools,�� he said.

Mr Willetts admitted that 바카라사이트 proposed scheme was likely to draw comparisons with Aimhigher, 바카라사이트 national outreach programme scrapped by 바카라사이트 coalition in 2011, but believed a coordinated strategy was needed.

��We��ve always said lots of good things were going on in 바카라사이트 old regime but some of what Aimhigher was doing was not effective,�� he said.

Unlike Aimhigher, which received almost ?90 million of direct state funding in its final year, 바카라사이트 new scheme will be financed using ��existing funds�� - likely awarded by Hefce or set aside from fees to underwrite access measures.

The announcement comes in 바카라사이트 same week as ano바카라사이트r report warning that any cut in Hefce funding for widening participation would have a ��disproportionate�� effect on newer universities.

The Hefce-commissioned study, published on 5 March, says ��a significant amount of [widening participation] activity would be reduced or cease altoge바카라사이트r�� if such action were taken.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com