OFFA approves Sussex’s £8.1m widening participation plan
The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) on Thursday (11 July) re-endorsed the University’s action plan, worth £8.1 million in 2014-15, to ensure talented students from all backgrounds can enjoy a Sussex education.
The plans laid out in the University’s Access Agreement for 2014-15 include a continuation of its innovative First-Generation Scholars scheme and will see the University expand its outreach activities to include primary school pupils.
Over half of the money (£4.4 million) will be spent on financial support for low-income students on the FGS scheme.
Nearly half (1,260) of 2012-13 entrants are benefitting from the scheme, with 920 of these receiving a £5,000 financial support package for students whose family income is less than £42,600.
The package also provides the students with wide-ranging support and guidance before, during and after their studies.
The other 340 scholarship recipients in 2012-13 did not qualify for the financial support but, as the first member of their family to go to university, were able to benefit from the non-financial aspects of the scheme.
A further £2.1 million is earmarked for support for those students (e.g. study skills, careers support) once they arrive on campus.
Data released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) earlier this year show that the proportion of Sussex students dropping out of university in their first year has fallen dramatically over the last decade – down to 3.3% in 2011-12, compared with 8.8% in 2002-03 and 5.1% as recently as 2010-11.
These plans are designed to continue that work by offering First-Generation Scholars a menu of options to help them with their studies and develop their skills. These include study skills support, careers and leadership coaching, work-study opportunities and internships.
The remaining £1.6 million will go into expanding the University’s outreach and aspiration-raising activities, including, for the first time, partnerships with primary schools.
This year (2012-13), the University spent £6.5 million on widening participation activities.
The University’s Access Agreement for the coming academic year, 2013-14, was agreed with OFFA last summer.