Pause carousel
Play carousel
Abertay+ Scheme aims to remove barriers to higher education and promote student success
Abertay University has received over £280,000 in funding from The Robertson Trust to support an ambitious project aimed at promoting fair access to higher education and ensuring positive outcomes for students.
The University was one of twelve organisations across Scotland to be awarded funding through the Trust’s latest Programme Awards, which are designed to support bold and innovative projects that have the potential to create lasting change in tackling poverty and trauma.
The funding, awarded under the ‘Test and Demonstration’ strand of the Programme Awards, will support the development of the Abertay+ Scheme.
This three-year project will explore more compassionate, supportive approaches to university systems and processes to enable student success, with a focus on underrepresented learners. The project will centre around a student success coaching model designed to increase retention and attainment, and to ensure that pathways into degree programmes are built on principles of fairness and compassion.
Jack Hogan, Lecturer in Academic Practice and lead of the Abertay+ scheme, said:
Abertay is a leader in fair access and was the first university in Scotland to implement tailored ‘access thresholds’ for students. This project builds on that work by removing unnecessary barriers to entry and offering personalised support to help students thrive. We believe potential can be measured in more than just grades, and the Abertay+ scheme aims to ensure that learners with the talent and determination to succeed are given a fair chance and the support they need to do so.
The latest round of Programme Awards funding allocates over £2.3 million among initiatives spanning research into equitable childcare to pilot schemes for fairer university admissions. Projects include The Brilliant Club (£260,000), which aids disadvantaged parents in helping their children access university, the Education Endowment Foundation (£649,000), creating a national hub to improve teaching through research, and Homeless Network Scotland’s Fair Way Scotland (£207,000), testing compassionate support for those without access to public funds, including individuals affected by immigration rules.
Abertay has long been at the forefront of widening participation in higher education. In the 2017-2018 academic year, the University introduced minimum entry qualifications for all undergraduate programmes in line with the Scottish Funding Council’s recommendations, helping to ensure consistent academic standards while recognising the impact of socioeconomic barriers on achievement.
Under this policy, Abertay continues to consider the wider context in which applicants have achieved their qualifications. This contextual admissions approach enables the University to make adjusted offers, opening doors for students whose potential may not be fully reflected in their exam results.
