At The University of Bath, our commitment to evaluative research on access and participation informs evidence-based practices across the University and wider sector. Through a series of projects identified in our Access and Participation Plan (APP), we aim to better understand the barriers to access and the solutions that foster student success and progression.
Researching Impact
Discover how research and evaluation drives impactful change to support our most marginalised students.
Evaluation and Research
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APP Research Evaluation Projects
As part of our Access and Participation Plan (APP), we are undertaking 10 research projects designed to help us understand the impact of our work across the student lifecycle.
The table provides an overview of the committed projects, detailing their objectives, outcome measures and timelines for publication.
| Lifecycle | Project | Research Method | Outcome Measure | Publication Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access | Multi-intervention Widening Access Programme | Pre-post surveys and dosage analysis | Meta-cognition, academic self-efficacy, university knowledge & expectations | September 2025 |
| Access | Summer Schools | HEAT longitudinal tracking with comparator | Application rates & progression rates to HE providers | February 2026 |
| Access, On-course | Attainment activities | HEAT longitudinal tracking with comparator | a) Attainment at KS4 & 5, b) On-course attainment | a) September 2026, b) September 2027 |
| Access, On-course | Contextual admissions | Quasi-experimental design | On-course attainment | September 2028 |
| On-course | Bath Bursary financial intervention | Mixed-methods design using the OfS financial toolkit | Student sense of belonging, wellbeing, continuation rates | September 2025 |
| On-course | Student Money Advice service and the Cost of Living | Qualitative research with comparison group | Financial management, financial pressures, wellbeing and mental health | September 2025 |
| On-course | Inclusive, accessible, supportive and enhanced curriculum | Tracking and qualitative research with participants | Student sense of belonging | September 2026 |
| On-course | Student Retention Team support for underrepresented groups | Contribution analysis with tracking and qualitative research with participants | Student sense of belonging, continuation rates, completion rates | September 2026 |
| On-course | Extra-curricular support | Pre-post surveys and matching design to provide non-random comparison group | Academic self-efficacy, meta-cognition, on-course and degree attainment | September 2027 |
| Progression | Placements | Mixed methods design using surveys, focus groups and matching design to provide non-random comparison group | Progression rates to graduate study or employment | December 2027 |
| All lifecycle points | Intersectional characteristics of student outcomes | Quasi-experimental design including statistical model | Access rates, continuation rates, degree attainment rates, progression rates | May 2028 |
Working with others
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Collaboration is at the heart of our research efforts. We are working closely with practitioners and academic staff across the University, leveraging their expertise to deliver high quality outputs. If you are interested in getting involved, whether as a participant, collaborator, or advocate your support is welcomed. Find out how to get involved
Sharing our findings
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As we produce our research outputs, we will share these in a number of ways. When we have developed resources, we will add them to this space.
Contact us
If you have questions about access and participation evaluation then get in touch