Tag Archives: student success

Student Success and Engagement: Inclusion Consultants

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students discussing in a group

Hi! I’m Aaliya, a placement student working at the University of Reading. Since working at the university, I have learnt so much about what the university does to increase diversity and inclusion and I would love to share these insights with more students.  

Multiple studies conducted in higher education have indicated that involving students in decision-making processes can lead to better relationships between students and their institutions. The Inclusion Consultant programme is currently in its third year and has been designed to tackle the issues across higher education institutions surrounding the awarding gap for underrepresented student groups. The Inclusion Consultants are a group of students from diverse, typically under-represented backgrounds and they meet regularly with staff across the university to provide consultations on best practices. 

Students have expressed positive feedback during the programme evaluation and commended the scheme for its effectiveness in providing a platform for students to share their voices. The scheme has taken several steps to make a greater impact, however, we understand that this kind of change can be slow and can take some years to see institutional-wide effects. The consultants felt confident in their skills and left feedback on their time in the scheme: 

“I was confident that my opinions were heard and appreciated not just by [the facilitators] but the external guests and the entire team who supported each other throughout.” 

As the Student Outcomes Coordinator, I oversee this year’s cohort of the Inclusion Consultants and the impact they are making is incredible. They have been attending staff training workshops across the university sharing their stories and advice on how to improve inclusivity. Our goal this year is to collaborate with academic schools to identify and address their unique challenges and develop plans to implement inclusive solutions. The cohort has been chosen to address the key areas in the APP (Access and Participation Plan) as well as our main target schools, as we aim to decrease these specific gaps.  

This scheme represents just one step in our broader efforts to address the awarding gap, and we remain committed to seeing sustained progress at the University of Reading. We believe that this scheme, alongside others, will help us achieve our goal of greater inclusivity and equity in higher education for all. 

Read the full report: Inclusion Consultant Pilot reflection August 2023 (PDF, 0.3 MB)  

Student Success and Engagement: Student Financial Support

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two students walking in town

Hi! I’m Aaliya, a placement student working at the University of Reading. I’m here to share with you one of the schemes at Reading that aims to make studying at university as inclusive as possible.  

As you are probably aware the government provides students with a maintenance loan to cover university costs however this can sometimes not be enough, and some students still work part-time jobs or have to be supported by their parents or guardians.  

The University of Reading offers additional financial support to students through grants, bursaries, scholarships and fee waivers. These funds are offered to students in order to alleviate the worries of studying and the finances that come with it. Bursaries are usually given to students that come from certain circumstances to ensure that they have the same experience of studying and to reduce the financial worries of going to university.  

These are some eligible characteristics: 

  • Those who have a household income assessed by the relevant Student Finance Authority of below £27,000 
  • Care Experienced students, Foyer students and Estranged students 
  • Work and Study Placement students 
  • Those experiencing financial difficulties 

Learn more about the bursaries offered at UoR: Bursaries and Awards  

Reading Bursary Survey Results 

The Reading Bursary is offered to students who have a household income assessed by the relevant Student Finance Authority of below £27,000. In 2021 to 2022, we have had an increase in students eligible for the bursary reflecting the financial impacts of Covid.  

Many students who received the funding were also balancing jobs alongside their studies or during their vacation time, which made up most of their financial source. For those that worked during term-time, 36.6% worked more than 8 hours per week. This work was usually undertaken to account for essential spending such as rent and utilities and was also used for academic costs such as study materials. 

56.5% of students stated that receiving the bursary was very important in supporting their continued studies. Here are some comments from these students: 

“Allowed me to have enough money to eat, I was not eating well due to financial situation I was also awarded a catering package for a month which really helped I was not aware that they were able to this. Appreciated it a lot”. 

“Grateful for the support I have received. It’s more or less the money that helps me with food and bills. So without the bursary I wouldn’t be eating properly and not focusing on self-care and health”. 

“Wouldn’t be able to afford living, literally! I live off of my maintenance loan throughout the year, the bursary is a godsend”.  

Read the full report: Student Financial Support reflective report August 2023 (PDF, 0.4 MB)