Who Goes to College via Access Routes? A Comparative Study of Widening Participation Admission in Selective Universities in Ireland and England

Katriona O’Sullivan,Niall Winters,James Robson,Delma Byrne

doi:10.17645/si.v7i1.1647

Katriona O’Sullivan, Niall Winters + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v7i1.1647

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Abstract

This article explores changing national widening participation (WP) policy and responses from Higher Education institutions (HEIs) from a cross-national perspective. Specifically, the use of contextualised admissions and the provision of foundation year programmes in selective universities in Ireland and England are the key foci of interest. Using data gathered from WP students in two selective universities in Ireland and England, we explore how student characteristics differ according to the WP route undertaken. In an attempt to generate more knowledge of how HEIs enact WP policy, we draw on interviews conducted with staff involved in admission decision-making to explore how those with responsibility for admission within each institutional context perceive the WP pathways and their aims. The findings highlight how important it is for selective universities to adopt multiple WP pathways given that the use of contextualised admission and the provision of foundation years attract quite diverse student intakes. In both contexts, those entering through foundation years have experienced greater levels of disadvantage in terms of family history of education and family occupation compared to their contextualised admission counterparts. The qualitative findings reveal that those with responsibility for admission perceive the WP admission routes in different ways, highlighting a clash between institutional culture and the goals of WP.

Highlights

National policy responses to Widening Participation (WP) have varied over time and place, and as a result, changes have occurred to WP admission routes within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
Using data gathered from WP students in two selective universities in Ireland and England, we explore how student intakes differ according to the WP admission route undertaken
This article sought to establish the characteristics of students entering selective universities in Ireland and England through different WP admission routes, while exploring how those with responsibility for admissions in both contexts perceive WP initiatives

Summary

Introduction

National policy responses to Widening Participation (WP) have varied over time and place, and as a result, changes have occurred to WP admission routes within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Despite the voluminous literature pertaining to WP initiatives, there is a dearth of cross-national empirical research that seeks to capture commonalities and differences in the interpretation of WP policy responses (Clancy & Goastellec, 2007). This article addresses this gap and examines current na-. The use of contextualised admissions and the provision of foundation year programmes in two selective universities are the key foci of interest. The key research questions addressed are: (1) Do the characteristics of students entering selective universities differ depending on the WP admission route taken? The key research questions addressed are: (1) Do the characteristics of students entering selective universities differ depending on the WP admission route taken? That is, do the characteristics of WP students entering through a foundation year differ from those entering directly through contextualised admissions? (2) How are the WP admission routes and their aims interpreted by those with responsibility for admissions? How are the rules interpreted?

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