Leicester bucks national trend in recruiting mature students
Our University is contributing to a national briefing on Supporting Mature Students in Higher Education.
Charlotte Barratt, the University’s Widening Participation Officer, will be among a number of key experts at the briefing taking place in Central London on Wednesday 1 March 2017.
The Westminster Briefing event provides an understanding of how higher education institutions can widen access, retention and success for mature learners. Delegates have a chance to rethink their approach to retention and belonging for mature students and hear the latest good practice from other institutions’ working to provide effective support for mature learners throughout their student journey.
At Leicester, recruitment of mature students onto undergraduate full-time first degrees has increased - despite an overall sector decline. Sector wide, recruitment of over-25 year old applicants has fallen by 18% but at the University of Leicester, there has been an increase.
Commenting on this success, Charlotte said: “As part of our strategy to make Leicester the University of choice for students, we have worked hard to showcase the University and staged a new range of events for potential and current mature students.
“As a result of student feedback, we have worked on providing support for mature students coming through local colleges as well as for students already with us. This increased engagement shows that we are committed to making the University of Leicester a welcoming and supportive institution for mature students.”
Lisa Bright, a mature First Year History and American Studies student, said: “Studying here at Leicester is providing me with the opportunities I need in order to embark in a new career. A key benefit of doing this later in life is that I can be more focussed in the decisions I make on my course to enable me to strive directly to my goal. So far it has been a thoroughly enjoyable and challenging experience, opening up my mind to new possibilities".