Working in Partnership to Diversify Our Student Body: Collaboration with the University of Exeter and The Elephant Group (TEG)

Expanding Outreach

As outreach officers, we work with schools across the UK, providing students with tools and information to support their higher education choices. The University of Exeter's Access and Participation Plan aims to create a more diverse student community by extending outreach beyond the South West, including areas like London and Birmingham. Although the University is ethnically diverse, welcoming students from over 150 countries, we aim to increase the proportion of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students in our UK/EU cohort.

We have made consistent progress, exceeding targets related to socio-economic deprivation, ethnicity, and under-representation. In 2022/2023, 25% of entrants were first-generation students, 22% came from low-income households, and 45% were from areas with low participation in higher education. Despite these gains, there's more to be done, which is why our partnership with TEG is crucial.

TEG Partnership

Our 'Success for All' campaign, part of our Education Strategy, aims to widen participation, close gaps in student outcomes, and build a diverse and inclusive learning environment. This campaign promotes collaboration between academics, professional services staff, and students, aligning perfectly with our work with TEG.

TEG, a headteacher-led charity, supports top state school students in progressing to top universities through its Elephant Access programme for year 12-13 students. With 55 partner schools in London and the East Midlands, our collaboration with TEG has expanded rapidly since it began in 2018/2019.

As part of our commitment to TEG, we support various events, including launch events, spring conferences, and summer residentials. These initiatives help students make informed post-18 choices, build confidence, and gain new experiences.

Data-Driven Approach to overcome barriers 

We use a data-led approach to target schools, considering factors like WP markets and attainment. Our partnership with TEG enables us to reach a more diverse audience and engage with students from varied backgrounds.

We continually evaluate the impact of our partnerships. Success for us includes positive feedback from student-led activities, meeting strategic targets, and increased applications and firm acceptances from TEG students. For TEG, success means providing strong collaborative partnerships and increasing opportunities for all.

Collaborating with another professional body presents challenges and opportunities. Despite improvements in applications, barriers to acceptance remain, including distance, cost of living, and contextual offer disparities. We work to overcome these barriers, maintaining our commitment to TEG's mission.

Positive Outcomes

Our partnership has already yielded positive results:

• Between 2019 and 2024, applications from TEG schools increased by 115%.
• Offers to TEG students increased by 117%.
• In 2024, students from 47 out of 55 TEG schools applied to Exeter (85%).

After our 2023 TEG summer school:

• The proportion of students planning to apply to us increased by 42%.
• Students’ confidence in their next steps after 6th form/college increased by 43%.
• 83.7% of students felt that top universities were for people like them (up by 13%).

Future Opportunities 

We aim to be part of TEG's expansion, continuing to offer new opportunities for students and schools. We are proud to offer seven undergraduate degree apprenticeships at the University of Exeter, with plans to expand further. TEG's ambition aligns with our goal to provide diverse pathways into higher education.

Our commitment to attracting entrants from state schools and underrepresented backgrounds, including ethnic minorities, remains strong. This is especially crucial for our outreach in London. Provision and opportunity for students are top priorities, driving our partnerships and collaborations forward.