HELOA Awards 2025

Based upon student feedback, the programme has developed from a half day campus visit to the current residential offer. The programme seeks to increase students’ confidence and support their transition to higher education through equipping them with knowledge and experience for their first weeks at TU. Delivered within small groups, the residential has engaged with students with a range of needs and has been effective in supporting the development of a supportive peer network, providing information about the support available to students and orientating them to the campus and the town.

These sessions, held during lessons or after school, ignite interest in higher education and science degrees. The programme concludes with students presenting their experiment findings to a panel of academics, fostering confidence and empowering diverse young learners to pursue academic and professional success in science. The project is a vital platform for promoting diversity in STEM education.

The new curriculum is underpinned by the Skills Builder framework, providing students with essential skills that contribute to their academic attainment and progression to higher education. Through the integration of robust quality assurance processes, this project supports the sustainable and agile development of the University of Sheffield’s programmes, in line with university access strategy.

By working with charities, local councils, and various organisations, the Aspire2HE project identifies groups that are underrepresented in higher education – such as care leavers, young carers, those with a disability, are part of the Global Majority, individuals who are first in their immediate family to go to university, service children, those who are NEET, homeless individuals, and more – providing them with tailored support, information, advice, and guidance on accessing higher education. 

Working with our alumnus, educational expert and well-known Gogglebox TV personality Baasit Siddiqui, we created free on-demand videos and resources that not only hit the brief, but stood out as something different and resonated as relevant with a Gen Z audience. Aiming to enhance engagement in the project, we also introduced a podcast competition which invited students to create and share a self-made podcast focussed on tackling a significant global societal challenge.

Feedback indicated 92% of attendees found the event useful in connecting them to Higher Education. The initiative generated 362 enquiries and led to 47 applications for the 2024 intake, promoting higher education accessibility. This model demonstrates USW’s commitment to support students and effective student recruitment initiatives, meriting recognition for the HELOA 2025 Award.

Through tracking follow-up registrant behaviour, we established a correlation between engagement with the recordings, applying, offers and enrolments, thereby providing firm evidence of impact and rationale for roll-out during 2025. 

This initiative, the second-highest lead generator for PGT Home after our flagship on-campus open day, delivered excellent application and firm acceptance rates. Developed from student feedback, the talks offer accessible, essential information and address declining attendance at live events. The project delivered an outstanding return on investment, enhanced cross-divisional collaboration, and aligns with the University’s goal to attract diverse, high-quality students.

Using the comment box on Instagram stories, USW created an engaging post and incentivised competition for their followers to share their worries about postgraduate study. One of USW’s postgraduate recruitment priorities is to improve progression rates from undergraduate study to postgraduate among their current student cohort so they found this opportunity to use social media in this way was a fantastic opportunity.

Focusing on Cardiff’s affordability, quality of life, and easy transport links, the campaign targets schools and colleges in London, positioning Cardiff Met as a high-quality, cost-effective alternative. Initially aiming to reach five schools, the campaign surpassed expectations, engaging students from 12 institutions by November 2023. This outreach led to a 191% increase in applications from London, with significant interest from those directly involved in campaign sessions, highlighting Cardiff Met’s educational and lifestyle appeal.

To achieve this, the University of Derby planned an inspiring campaign that would resonate with Gen Z and their influencers. They encouraged students to think about how they could save the world by going to university, while profiling their own world-leading research, including the game-changing work linked to coral reef restoration.

Despite having a small team and limited resources, DMU’s Germ’s Journey team and DMU’s Widening Access team successfully organised a nationwide hand hygiene lesson that engaged over 20,000 children and brought attention to an essential public health issue. 

The event introduces attendees to the student services they will access during their studies, allowing for early intervention and support where needed. Vitally, the event provides an opportunity to meet offer-holders and current students from similar backgrounds ahead of their studies commencing, enhancing their sense of belonging. Informed by evidence and student consultation, the event demonstrably reduces nerves and increases confidence and preparedness for study.

USW created 8 self-contained stories centred around 4 personas, which showed students confused and uncertain at the beginning but by the end they were fulfilled – thanks to USW. Their visual storytelling, where students were interviewed within their study environment on campus, captivated the audience, forming an emotional connection and becoming relatable to prospective applicants who found themselves in the same circumstance.