Remaking the elite university
An experiment in widening participation in the UK
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12928645 |
|---|---|
| Authors | J Mclellan (0000-0001-5176-3305, corresponding author), Richard Pettigrew (0000-0003-0822-4300), Tom Sperlinger |
| Year | 2016 |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 54-72 |
| Publication date | 2016-01-13 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Power and Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1757-7438 • E-ISSN: 1757-7438 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/1757743815624117 |
| OpenAlex | W2542052991 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 7 |
This article analyses and critiques the discourse around widening participation in elite universities in the UK. One response, from both university administrators and academics, has been to see this as an ‘intractable’ problem which can at best be ameliorated through outreach or marginal work in admissions policy. Another has been to reject the institution of the university completely, and seek to set up alternative models of autonomous higher education. The article presents a different analysis, in which the university is still seen as central and participation is seen as an aspect of pedagogy rather than as an administrative process. This is illustrated through a description of how a Foundation Year in Arts and Humanities was conceived, designed and implemented at the University of Bristol. This model is used to consider the problems, risks and successes in challenging received notions of how (and whether) widening participation can be achieved, and whether it can reach those who are currently most excluded from elite universities, such as those without qualifications. The article suggests how academics can utilise their expertise to solve key challenges faced by universities and reclaim autonomy in central aspects of university administration. At the same time, it demonstrates how change to the current model of student recruitment can also bring welcome – and transformative – change to the nature of elite higher education institutions in the UK and elsewhere
Autonomy · Elite · Higher education · Institution · Outreach · Pedagogy · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Social science · Sociology · Transformative learning · Work (physics · Engineering · Higher Education Governance and Development · Higher Education Practises and Engagement · Higher Education Research Studies · Law · Public Administration
Exploring the fluidity of relationships and methodology as an ‘insider’ action researcher
Equity and STEM in elite contexts
Democracy, emancipation and widening participation in the UK
Augmenting excellence, promoting diversity? Preliminary design of a foundation year for the University of Cambridge
Widening higher education participation in rural communities in England
Lifelong Learning under New Labour
Imagining stereotypes away
How fair is access to more prestigious UK universities
Class, Authenticity and the Transition to Higher Education for Mature Students
Decolonizing Methodologies
Choices of Degree or Degrees of Choice? Class, 'Race' and the Higher Education Choice Process
| Unique citing works | 5 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,56 |
| Citation span | 2017 - 2021 (5) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |