Fair Access in Scotland – and some wider issues
The Scottish Government has set an ambitious target that by 2030 20 per cent of entrants to higher education should come from the 20 per cent most deprived communities across Scotland. Interim targets of 16 per cent in 2021 and 18 per cent by 2026. Progress has been rapid with the 2021 target already met. But difficult issues remain – big differences between individual universities and between colleges and universities, reluctance to offer Higher National students full credit on degree programmes and (potentially) over-timid use of contextual admissions. The seminar will examine these issues as well as wider issues and dilemmas that confront all HE systems in their effort to widen access.