Praxis teams who work on widening participation and student success in higher education must navigate ethical considerations to deliver best practice in research and evaluation, ensuring they respect the rights of participants in their access and participation plan programmes. While it is primarily the responsibility of the researcher or evaluator in the team to think ethically about their programme of activities, if the results of their evaluations are to be published this may involve further ethical scrutiny to meet their own institution’s approach to research integrity and ethics.

In this Working Group meeting, the final meeting of this academic year, we are delighted that our colleague Robyn Long, Head of APP Research and Evaluation at the University of Sussex and our APP Working Group Co-Lead, will be joining us to give a lightning talk.

In this session, Robyn will be sharing the approach that the University of Sussex is taking to ensure that the APP evaluation plans meet their expected ethical standards. Following on from Robyn’s presentation and discussion, the Working Group will also provide the space to discuss considerations around preparing for publication, particularly the big questions what and where you might publish.

This is an open meeting and the Working Group extends a cordial invitation to all NERUPI members who have a particular interest in the topics that will be under discussion to join us.

Our Speaker

Robyn Long is Head of APP Research and Evaluation at the University of Sussex and leads the research and evaluation strategy for the University's Access and Participation Plan, working across the full lifecycle of access, success, and progression activities and interventions, and whole provider strategic change projects. Alongside the centrally delivered provision, Robyn works closely with academics in all faculties to support evaluation of Faculty Student Experience and Outcomes Plans, looking at APP, TEF, and B3 metrics.

Robyn also oversees a programme of training and development for staff to build a learning culture across the organisation, enhancing understanding and building capability in conducting evaluations and undertaking Scholarship of Teaching and Learning research to support the experience and outcomes of Sussex students, and supports evaluation strategies for wider institutional portfolios, including the University Strategy, and various programmes and projects that feed into TEF and REF.