Help improve equality of opportunity

We recently adopted a new approach to regulating equality of opportunity, and we're asking universities and colleges to produce new access and participation plans.

In 2023, a small set of volunteer providers (wave 1) submitted new access and participation plans for 2024-25. Now that we have completed this first wave, we are asking other universities and colleges to produce their plans.

Our new approach emphasises the need for:

• universities and colleges to work closely with schools to raise attainment
• accessible and understandable access and participation plans
• a focus not only on fair access but also on student outcomes
• flexible provision for students
• better evaluation of progress.

Equality of Opportunity Risk Register

Central to our revised approach is our new Equality of Opportunity Risk Register (EORR). This identifies the many and varied things that can stand in the way of students having equal opportunity to access, participate and succeed in higher education, and presents them in the form of risks that universities and colleges are expected to mitigate.

Your role

We expect universities and colleges to meaningfully involve students in the design of access and participation plans. They should consult and engage with representative bodies such as students' unions, include students on decision making panels and engage with students from a diverse range of backgrounds to gain representative feedback.

We also invite student bodies to share their views on access and participation plans directly with us through a student submission.