Aim : Supporting effective and impactful local collaboration by higher education providers working together with schools , colleges , employers and other partners
The Uni Connect ( formerly National Collaborative Outreach Programme or NCOP ) End of Phase 1 report for the national formative and impact evaluations ( October 2019 ) 18 noted that :
“ The collaborative approach is successfully addressing ‘ cold spots ’ in outreach provision . As a result of NCOP some schools and further education colleges ( FECs ) are engaging in outreach for the first time ever , or after a number of years .”
The report also found that “ the unique and highly-targeted nature of NCOP has … meant that established partnerships have had to broaden their membership by engaging new partners and stakeholders from inside and outside the education sector … [ T ] here is evidence that through cross-partnership working and synergies with other programmes and initiatives , NCOP is showing its potential to contribute to wider social , cultural and economic goals in the medium-to longterm , by boosting qualification and skill levels . These , in turn , could lead to improved social mobility and enhanced productivity .”
For example , a programme for looked after children was launched by ThinkHigher in Coventry and Warwickshire in 2017 . This programme is funded by two local authorities and two university partners ; however the collaboration was made possible as a result of ThinkHigher ’ s infrastructure .
Qualitative research commissioned by Greater Manchester ( GM ) Higher partnership found strong evidence that GM Higher has enabled successful collaborative working between schools , colleges , universities and other organisations through : adding careers capacity ; engaging with other agencies in the locality and region supporting young people ; the breadth of offer and range of contacts ; a developed and proven infrastructure ; and complementing the work of schools .
18
Report prepared by CFE Research , Sheffield Institute of Education at Sheffield Hallam University and the Behavioural Insights Team . 16