Our Project

We are excited to share that in the 2023-2024 academic year, the Access and Participation Impact team, in collaboration with the Disability Service were successful in a bid to TASO (Transforming Access & Student Outcomes in HE) to collaborate with them, (alongside the University of Birmingham and City College Norwich), to develop an intervention blueprint to support disabled students’ transition into higher education.

Our bid focused on interventions and initiatives targeted specifically at autistic students (those who identify on the autism spectrum).

Phase 1:
A large part of the first phase of the project was to develop an Enhanced Theory of Change (EToC) for our own interventions at Bath, collating evidence and data we have locally that points towards their success. An EToC provides a format for capturing detailed information about inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes and impact. Specifically, it contains information about the activities and mechanisms by which we expect change to happen. It provides an overall snapshot of how we expect an activity, or several activities, to have an impact and to lead to change. More information can be found on the TASO theory of change resources page.

To inform our EToC and contribute to the next phase of the project, we also held a stakeholder workshop, together with interviews and a workshop with ASC students.

Phase 2:
In the second phase, TASO have appointed an independent evaluator (RSM UK Ltd) to create a scalable and adaptable blueprint that can be used more broadly at other institutions across the sector to support better transition into higher education for disabled students.

The project team has collaborated with current students, as well as several teams and departments across the University, including Widening Participation, Data Governance, Centre for Applied Autistic Research (CAAR) and the Disability Action Group (DAG) within The SU to develop our evidence informed EToC and our core recommendations to improve transition at Bath for autistic students. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this research project.

Further updates

Project complete and launch

TASO officially launched the project at end of June 2024. The final blueprint and guidance includes the Enhanced Theory of Change and report developed by our project team here at the University of Bath, as well as a student facing report to identify the scope of the project and actions that we plan to implement as a result of the project findings. Full details of the TASO project and official launch can be found here.

• Full report: University of Bath: Enhanced Theory of Change
• Enhanced Theory of Change (EToC) visual
• TASO report: student version

The TASO webpage can be found here.

Project outcomes

Based on the interviews with students with lived experience, the work of the project and our intervention aims, we have identified and are working on a range of actions that will further enhance our support. These include:

• Increasing early outreach and improving awareness of support available (including to those without or in the process of obtaining a formal diagnosis).
  
• Enhancing online resources (e.g. making information more easily navigable and including more student voices with lived experience).
  
• Making changes to Disability Advice appointments (including phasing the dissemination of information, development of checklists and improved resources, implementing a system for more regular check-ins for some students, developing “refresh” sessions at transition stages e.g. when returning from placement or in advance of a new semester).
  
• Enhancing the social support and skills development offered by the Campus Buddy Scheme and other Services within the University (e.g. Students Union and other Student Support teams).
  
• Continuing to focus on embedding inclusivity in the University’s policies and support systems.
  
• Contributing to the enhancement of awareness and support training for academic and professional staff, including more proactive approaches to ensure reasonable adjustments are implemented in teaching and learning.
  
• Further developing mechanisms to assist parents and carers to understand available support and establishing clear options for students to choose their parent/carers’ level of engagement.

Project Team

Project Lead:

• Jenny Boyle, Access and Participation Impact Manager
  

Project Team:

• Joel Staley, Former Deputy Director, Student Support & Safeguarding (Student Access & Advice)
  
• Katie Masterton, Former Team Leader - Disability Support
  
• Susan Fielding, Team Leader - Disability Advice
  
• Walid Daffri, Research Assistant

What University of Bath Students are saying...

Student who attended Beginning at Bath:

“The Beginning at Bath event, I found quite useful ... one of the SU [officers] told us that they were trying to get a sensory-safe study space, and then [the student ambassadors] showing us all the different study spaces and all the things that were available to us as disabled students was very useful.” “Beginning at Bath was amazing. It was the first time I'd been around just autistic people and it blew my mind.” “I think Beginning at Bath was great...being able to see my accommodation for first year at the event and speak to current students with disabilities really helped with my anxiety about transitioning.”

International Student Testimonial:

'I would like to encourage students especially those who are international and studying at the postgraduate level, in terms of asking professional help and advice from the Student Service Team of the University. I was diagnosed with dyslexia in the UK...after I just started my PhD studies.

Visit the Student Support Team. Meet disability advisor. Don’t be afraid to show your vulnerability. They will try to do their best to find individually tailored support solutions for each student with different problems and difficulties. The process is not easy, and it may feel painful. Sometimes you may want to run away, but it is possible to work through it and receive the support you need.'