St George’s, University of London has been shortlisted for Widening
Participation Initiative of The Year at the forthcoming Times Higher
Education Awards 2008.
The Adjusted Criteria programme at St George’s widens participation in
medical degrees by assessing applicants’ academic qualifications through
comparison with their social peers rather than with the national
average. St George’s is able to alter the requirement that those who are
invited for interview must have an average of grade A in GCSEs and all
As at A-level. Applicants with an A-level performance 60 per cent above
the average for their school are guaranteed an interview at which their
educational background is not disclosed. Since the programme began in
2002, it has accounted for almost seven per cent of St George’s medical
students. All participants come from comprehensive schools, and many are
from backgrounds with no tradition of higher education.
Head of Widening Participation and Student Recruitment Kenton Lewis
commented: “To be shortlisted for this award is an honour and we are
proud to be recognised for the efforts we put into ensuring fair access
to our courses and creating an atmosphere students will remember for
years to come.”
The Times Higher Education Awards, now in their fourth year, aim to
recognise the ground-breaking work undertaken by UK higher education
institutions.
Ann Mroz, Editor, Times Higher Education, commented: “The Awards
recognise the very best in higher education in the UK and we are
delighted to announce that St George’s, University of London has made it
onto the shortlist for Widening Participation Initiative of The Year.
Our senior advisory panel has been taken from all fields of academia and
had to choose from hundreds of first-class entries – only the best made
it through to our shortlist.”
Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony, held at Grosvenor
House Hotel, Park Lane, London, on Thursday 23 October 2008. Last year
more than 1,200 people from all parts of higher education gathered to
celebrate the sector’s achievements.
For further information, contact Tamsin Starr in the Press Office on 020
8725 1139 or via
tstarr@sgul.ac.uk.