DEAR Centre / WAHEI project co-hosted event

Widening participation in higher education (HE) is an international agenda for the HE sector, with each country taking its own perspective on the strategy and action needed to open up degree education to hitherto underrepresented groups. In India, there is an established system of positive action in the form of quotas (‘reservations’) for students from underrepresented groups. However, the notion of HE outreach, where higher education institutions (HEIs) engage in activities to spread information and awareness about HE options (e.g. school visits and open days) is not yet formalised in the Indian context. While widening participation and HE outreach are not part of the official remit of HEIs and faculty members in India, many academics are nonetheless engaging in a wide variety of activities on an informal basis to assist young people and their families with applying for HE. The Widening Access to Higher Education in India Project (WAHEI – www.warwick.ac.uk/WAHEILink opens in a new window), a collaboration between the University of Warwick and NIEPA (National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration), is a four-year project which is exploring the current practices of HE outreach that are occurring, and aims to establish pathways for the development of a more formal and officially recognised HE outreach culture. The project encompasses six states which represent all six regions of India. In this session, the project rationale and background will be presented by the Warwick-NIEPA team members, followed by snapshots of the different states covered by the project, presented by team members from these states during a project visit to Warwick. The session will conclude with an overview of the next steps for the project and discussion time.