Abstract

Despite well documented and persistent inequalities in access to higher education
(HE), the evidence base for widening participation activities remains weak. Recent
changes to the state regulation of UK HE has renewed pressure on universities and
other HE providers to develop effective interventions to tackle these inequalities, but
with limited evidence of what works the risk of failure is high. Recent emphasis on
robust systematic literature reviews of existing widening participation research has
attempted to address this deficit, but typically focusses only on the few existing
quantitative studies with an experimental or quasi-experimental design. This
literature review is tailored to the needs of widening participation practitioners and
aims to synthesise a broader range of evidence with a view to assessing a more
comprehensive approach. With a focus on access and outreach for students with
lower socio-economic status and for students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic
(BAME) groups, the authors consider the literature from the UK and further afield in
relation to financial support, information, advice and guidance (IAG), mentoring,
summer schools, and multi-intervention or ‘black box’ programmes. Drawing on
realist approaches, the authors also consider the contextual conditions which may
influence the success (or failure) of these interventions and should therefore be
considered in the design and implementation of widening participation activities.