OfS chair, Lord Wharton, and director for fair access and participation, John Blake, visited Sheffield Hallam to learn more about the University’s award-winning approach to improving access to higher education, student experience and employability.
The pair met students who spoke about their experiences of studying at Sheffield Hallam as well as representatives from the Students’ Union during their visit on Friday (25 February).
Lord Wharton was appointed chair of the OfS, the independent regulator of higher education in England, in May 2021. John Blake took up the role of Director Fair Access and Participation in January 2022.
As part of the visit, they heard about the University’s work to encourage young people from diverse backgrounds to consider going into higher education and the support students receive during their time at Sheffield Hallam to help them succeed, including award-winning teaching and a sector-leading approach to employability.
One of those programmes is the OfS-funded Higher Education Progression Partnership South Yorkshire (HeppSY), which provides targeted higher education outreach to young people in years nine to 13 living in particular geographic areas.
They also found out more about the University’s commitment to the social, economic and educational prosperity of the region through its Civic University Agreement, and discussed the importance of collaboration between higher education and further education as part of a roundtable with university and college partners from South Yorkshire.
Lord Wharton said: “It was great to meet so many students on my visit to Sheffield Hallam University. My visit was also a welcome opportunity to see how universities are collaborating with schools and FE colleges as part of our Uni Connect programme to improve access. Hearing from students about their experiences is invaluable in helping us support their success as the higher education regulator.”
John Blake said: “‘Seeing first-hand how universities like Sheffield Hallam University are working to improve opportunities for students to succeed is very valuable. It is not enough that learners from underrepresented groups can get into college and university, they need the right support to progress at university and get good jobs afterwards. Equality and quality go together.”
Professor Sir Chris Husbands, Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, said: "Students are the lifeblood of this university. After a turbulent two years due to Covid, we have a responsibility to equip our students with the skills, confidence and networks needed to thrive and succeed, both professionally and personally, regardless of their background. We do that at Sheffield Hallam through our student-centred approach, through a focus on work-based learning, an inclusive curriculum, and an overarching commitment to transforming lives.
"We are delighted to welcome Lord Wharton and John Blake to the university today so they can hear first-hand from our students of the Hallam approach, and we can share our institutional experience in delivering outcomes and opportunities for the young people of this region."
Sabahat Khan, International Students’ Officer, said: “I was delighted to meet Lord Wharton and have a chat with him about my experiences here at Sheffield Hallam. With the sudden strike of covid, it was extremely difficult to navigate through the course and the general student life.
“However, my experience with the course staff has been fantastic, and it was fascinating to see them go out of their ways and cater to our sudden and changing needs.”
