The institutions who submitted further high quality entries, but did not make it to the short list this year were:

• Gonville and Caius College
• University College Oxford
• University of Essex
• Sheffield Hallam
• University of Oxford

• Alternative prospectus

  The project aim was to produce a student-made Alternative Prospectus that could be distributed to prospective students on Open Days and school visits. The prospectus aimed to give a good impression of student life at Caius, and to enable applicants to make a well-informed decision when choosing a college.

• ’A Whistle- Stop tour of the University College Oxford’

  ‘A Whistle-Stop Tour of University College, Oxford’ is a short video developed by student volunteers in the college between March and June 2011. The students involved were part of our ‘Ambassador Scheme’ which motivates and trains current students to engage in access work. We currently have over 50 students signed up to the scheme, around 15% of our undergraduate population. This number is significant given the range of extra-curricular opportunities available to students at the University of Oxford and their heavy workloads.

• Undergraduate Student Funding 2012 vodcasts

  Phase one (complete): Create a vodcast that will:
  • Inform viewers (prospective students, parents, stakeholders) of the changes within student finance from 2012
  • Address issues that current year 12 students are concerned about
  • Inform viewers of the proposed support Essex intends to offer its students from 2012
  • Encourage large viewing numbers via social media Phase two (in progress):
  Create a second vodcast that will:
  • Inform viewers of the changes within student finance from 2012 focussing on facts and figures in a friendly approach
  • Focus on a ‘how-to’ vodcast to sit with above vodcast
  • Inform viewers of the approved support Essex will offer its students from 2012 within our access agreement
  • Encourage questions and discussion on student finance via social media
  From a recruitment perspective this will:
  • Inform prospective students about their options and support available
  • Indirectly raise the profile of the university – resulting in a possible rise in applications
  • Indirectly increase the impact of our social media

• Looked After Children and Care Leavers

  In May 2006 Sheffield Hallam University was one of the first six universities to be awarded the Frank Buttle Trust (now Buttle UK) Quality Mark for Care Leavers in Higher Education. Sheffield Hallam University is one of the largest universities in the UIK with a student population of around 50,000 and a strong tradition of social inclusion.

  Project Aims and Objectives:

  • To remove barriers that may affect Care Leavers applying to Sheffield Hallam University
  • To raise the aspirations of Looked After Children in the region
  • To develop operational and strategic networks by working in partnership with The University of Sheffield and Local Authorities

• Inspirational Teachers Award

  It is clear when speaking with Oxford undergraduates that often it is a single member of staff in their school or college that made ‘the difference’ and encouraged the student to apply, especially in the case of those applicants from non-traditional backgrounds or from schools with a limited history or tradition of sending students to the University.

  In October 2010, Paul Teulon (then Head of Student Recruitment at Oxford; now Head of Admissions at KCL) suggested the initial concept for an award scheme which would recognise inspirational teachers from UK state schools and colleges and reward them for their support and encouragement of students. The scheme would complement Oxford’s extensive range of existing events for teachers (including a series of Regional Conferences across the UK, subject-specific teachers’ conferences, events for PGCE students and Teach First participants and events for teachers in colleges and departments) and our major online resource, the Teachers’ E-Guide.

  Each institutional HELOA member was asked to vote. For those present at conference, the corporate member or proxy placed the vote. Institutions that were not represented at the Conference were asked to vote by e-mail. All those voting were asked to confer with their colleagues so that a majority vote was made on behalf of their institution.