A presentation from the HEA's Research Conference: Promoting Equity in Higher Education 2010.
Developmental evaluation research conducted in faculties of health in ten universities in Yorkshire and the Humber during 2008-2009 revealed both a heavy reliance on traditional methods of recruitment and selection and an apparent disconnect between admissions processes and widening participation initiatives in the majority of cases. There was a notable lack of dialogue between admissions staff and widening participation activists. Following an initial survey five sites were chosen for evaluation projects with the intention of bringing widening participation and admissions processes together through focusing on alternatives to conventional selection methods. This project is still in progress.
Research into the interactions between admissions departments and widening participation 'activists' in the health faculties of the ten universities in Yorkshire and the Humber. This was initially done by internet searches phone conversations email exchanges and literature searches. Alongside this a questionnaire was circulated to establish what selection methods were in use for entry to health professional education courses.
