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Aims and Objectives of the Forum (2004 – 2008)
Aims
The aims of the Forum are to address under representation in higher education by promoting fair access, and enhancing subsequent achievement, for the following groups in Fife and Tayside:
- School pupils
- Students following further education routes to Higher Education (including access to degrees and HN programmes)
- Adult returners to education from the social and business communities
Objectives
The objectives of the Fife and Tayside Wider Access Forum are to:
- Identify the wider access needs of the region, taking a learner needs approach rather than a recruitment of students approach
- Raise the aspirations of those from under-represented groups and provide guidance and advice that enables them, as learners, to make an informed choice about the educational opportunities available to them
- Develop and implement a regional wider access strategy including the setting of regional targets, within the context of the Lifelong Learning Strategy. The Forum will be accountable for meeting its targets
- Enhance opportunities for individuals to access higher education through collaboration, as well as assisting individual institutions to increase the effectiveness of their own wider access provision by sharing good practice
- Work to enhance the achievement of students entering institutions in the region through wider access routes (note – the Forum funding is not to this end, but the Forum agrees that the area should take an holistic approach and student achievement should be part of the regional strategy)
- Work with other agencies ( e.g. the SACCA mapping, tracking and bridging projects) to gather information on wider access activities across the region that informs the development and evaluation of regional and institutional strategies
- Agree priorities for the funding of projects and activities designed to enhance access to higher education in the region from under-represented groups
- Monitor and evaluate the projects and activities funded through the Forum
- Collaborate with the other regional forums to share best practice and work with the Funding Councils and other agencies to develop and implement a national strategy for wider access
