About the Widening Access Centre

The Widening Access Centre was established in 2012 to promote the University’s presence and work in the community that is such an integral part of it. 

Aims

Its aims are to:

• Promote and safeguard fair access to higher education, including identifying individuals with the greatest potential from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Attract and retain students and prospective students from underrepresented groups, which may include students from less advantaged backgrounds and students with protected characteristics, carers and care leavers.
• Raise educational aspirations and develop skills which prepare students from underrepresented groups for higher education.
• Support students from underrepresented groups to progress to employment or further study.
• Work with Reaching Wider: North and Mid Wales Partnership in areas of low participation
• Work with LEAs to promote the value/benefit of Welsh medium and/or bilingual study
• Work with Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol to promote University study through the medium of Welsh
• Work in partnership with FE to provide educational opportunities locally for those with geographical barriers to accessing HE.
• Sustainability: all applications to the WA Centre for funding from 2016/17 onwards will need to show how the Wellbeing Goals of 2015 are being addressed.
• Work towards removing barriers to enable those with mental health issues to realise their potential.