The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has commissioned CFE and the Widening Participation Research Centre at Edge Hill University to conduct a formative evaluation of the National Scholarship Programme (NSP) over its first three years of operation.
The primary purpose of the NSP is to provide a direct benefit to individual students from disadvantaged backgrounds as they enter higher education. The NSP is designed to complement rather than replace existing measures to widen access and increase participation amongst this group.
The NSP will provide a one-off financial benefit of £3k. The award will comprised of the of fee waivers/discounts, institutional services and/or a capped cash sum. Participating institutions charging over £6k in tuition fees will be expected to match fund their NSP allocation which will be used to top up individual awards or increase the number of awards available. The NSP will operate according to national income-based criteria set by Government; additional eligibility criteria will set by individual institutions. The Government’s contribution to the programme will be £50 million in 2012-13, rising to £100 million in 2013-14 and £150 million in 2014-15.
The role of the formative evaluation is to assist HEFCE and participating institutions to develop a fuller understanding of ‘what works best and why’ in relation to the design and delivery of the NSP, with a view to informing the development of the programme as it evolves. The evaluation will also offer insights into the impact and influence the NSP has on student decision-making, participation and retention, particularly amongst disadvantaged groups.
The key aims of the evaluation of the NSP are:
> to review and report on the set-up, implementation and operation of the NSP in order to identify which models of delivery are most effective and recommend operational changes to optimise the benefits of the NSP for students, institutions and funders;
> to conduct a longer-term, formative evaluation that delivers qualitative and quantitative evidence of the operation and effectiveness of the programme during its first three years (2012-2015);
> to assess whether the NSP is achieving its aims and objectives, including the extent to which it is integrated with broader institutional strategies for widening access and participation; and
to provide an understanding of the potential for NSP to add value to or enhance social mobility by contributing to improved access , widening participation, retention and progression.
This evaluation is being undertaken by CFE (www.cfe.org.uk ) and the Widening Participation Research Centre at Edge Hill University (http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/wpresearch ) with contributions from our associate Aaron Porter.
Please contact for more information Alexandra Michael:
Email: Alexandra.michael@cfe.org.uk
Tel: 0116 229 3300