Widening participation policy is often judged through dashboards of access, continuation and attainment. Yet focusing on who gets in – and who stays – can mask how universities continue to privilege particular histories, dispositions and futures. Drawing on Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, capital and institutional habitus, this article argues that belonging should sit at the centre of how we interpret student data, and explores what a more “belonging-sensitive” approach to WP metrics might look like in UK higher education.

Presenting the final report of the UPP Foundation’s inquiry into widening participation, Richard Brabner calls for ambition in getting in, getting on and getting out Presenting the final report of the...

How we promote access, success and progress for underrepresented groups of students.

The barriers to STEM subjects start long before students apply. From rigid entry requirements to a lack of representation, here are four, with practical ways to build a more inclusive environmental sc...