Centre for Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education

The Centre for Transforming Access and Student Outcomes (TASO) is an organisation that undertakes and uses research and evaluation to determine what works in eliminating equality gaps in higher education.

TASO’s mission is to improve equality of opportunity through evidence-informed practice in higher education.

There is limited systematic evaluation of access and participation activities to learn what is and isn't working and where improvements must be made. In particular there is a lack of Type 3 evidence on causality (using our standards of evidence).

To address this issue and enhance positive outcomes for students through the adoption of robustly evidenced policies, approaches and practice, we’ve provided £1.5 million of funding to TASO since 2019.

TASO was established in 2019 by a consortium from King’s College London, Nottingham Trent University, and the Behavioural Insights Team. It is an affiliate 'What Works' centre and is part of the government's What Works network.

TASO’s aim is to develop more robust, causal evidence about widening access and improving student outcomes in higher education. While TASO focuses on the production and dissemination of causal evidence, TASO will and has considered other types of evidence and has undertaken research and evaluation using various methods, where appropriate.