ID020 Civic And Commercial Sense

The Idea

Keele currently hosts and leads Higher Horizons, the regional partnership responsible for delivering the government-funded Uni Connect outreach programme. While Higher Horizons has existed in various forms through different government funding streams for more than 20 years, it has never received direct funding from the university, despite evidence demonstrating the recruitment benefits that outreach activity delivers for Keele.

Higher Horizons funding has declined significantly over the last decade and is now approximately 20% of its 2017 level. This has created ongoing uncertainty, with annual funding decisions determining the scale and sustainability of activity. In recent years, funding reductions have resulted in staff redundancies and a reduction in the volume of outreach delivered across the region.

This environment makes it difficult to maintain long-term relationships with schools and colleges, deliver a sustained and predictable programme of outreach activity, and commit to consistent support for learners over time.

Several other Uni Connect partnerships receive direct support from their partner institutions through a variety of funding models. Examples include:

• In Sheffield, the two universities provide approximately £400,000 per year to their partnership, which delivers Access and Participation Plan commitments alongside Uni Connect activity.
• In Birmingham, the partnership is funded by its university partners, with Uni Connect funding providing additional resource rather than core operational support. The universities share collaborative access targets delivered through the partnership.
• In Hull, the university provides approximately £200,000 annually in return for the partnership delivering Access and Participation Plan commitments.
• At Wolverhampton, key staff roles, including leadership and evaluation functions, are funded by the university, allowing a greater proportion of external funding to be directed towards outreach delivery.

Keele should consider whether it could provide funding to support some or all of Higher Horizons activity, helping to protect and strengthen outreach provision while continuing to realise the recruitment, civic and educational benefits generated by the partnership.

Why This Idea Should Be Considered

Evidence consistently demonstrates that outreach activity supports progression into higher education for learners who are statistically less likely to attend university. Research also shows that young people with limited family experience of higher education are disproportionately likely to attend institutions within their local region.

While effective outreach must remain impartial, it also provides significant indirect recruitment benefits. It helps raise aspirations, builds familiarity with higher education and increases awareness of local opportunities. As a result, outreach activity can be viewed as both a civic contribution and a strategic investment.

Higher Horizons currently contributes to the enrolment of approximately 300 students at Keele each year, according to student tracking data. These students come from backgrounds that are statistically underrepresented in higher education.

Recent statistical analysis has also demonstrated the effectiveness of the programme. Students who participate in Higher Horizons activities are 52% more likely to progress into higher education than comparable students, even after controlling for demographic factors.

Given these outcomes, the university should consider whether outreach activity warrants greater institutional support rather than remaining heavily dependent on fluctuating external funding and changing national priorities.

How We Would Implement This Idea

Keele could provide direct funding to Higher Horizons with clearly defined objectives and expectations. Funding could be used for a range of purposes, including:

• Supporting key staffing roles and programme leadership
• Protecting and expanding outreach delivery
• Enhancing evaluation and impact measurement
• Delivering specific Access and Participation Plan commitments on behalf of the university

This model would be most effective if Higher Horizons activity were more closely aligned with institutional access and participation priorities. At present, these functions operate largely separately. Bringing them together could create a more coherent and strategically aligned approach to widening participation, student recruitment and civic engagement.

A stronger partnership between Higher Horizons and the university's Access and Participation Plan activity would enable better coordination of resources, clearer accountability and greater long-term impact.

What Success Would Look Like

• Increased participation in higher education among young people across Stoke-on-Trent and surrounding areas where progression rates remain below the national average.
• Increased enrolment at Keele from schools and communities across the university's regional recruitment area.
• Stronger and more sustainable relationships with local schools, colleges and community organisations.
• Greater stability in outreach provision, staffing and programme delivery.
• Protection of outreach activity with younger learners, particularly those in Years 7 to 11, reflecting evidence that early engagement is critical to supporting progression to higher education.
• Creation of new opportunities for student recruitment through widening participation activity, rather than relying solely on increasing market share within existing applicant pools.
• A more integrated institutional approach to outreach, widening participation and Access and Participation Plan delivery.