Directory of Practice and Expertise

Alison Train

alison.train@ed.ac.uk

I work for LEAPS which is one of the SHEP SFC projects in Scotland. However LEAPS is also funded by our local university partners and we…

Andrew Comrie

acomrie@icloud.com

I am Director of Fair Access at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland ( part-time) and freelance educational consultant. I have worked in both further and higher…

I am Director of Fair Access at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland ( part-time) and freelance educational consultant.

I have worked in both further and higher education with expertise in development and delivery of education/learning and teaching programmes, education and widening access strategy planning and development, curriculum design, articulation, development of professional standards and professional accreditation schemes for widening access and widening participation professionals .

I am interested in working to contribute to national and international policy developments that take fair access forward in line with SG and SFC priorities. Widening Access and Widening Participation strategy development at national, international and institutional levels.

I will consider both paid and voluntary work across the areas of practice based research, WA project evaluation and professional learning and development for WA and WP practitioners.

Areas considered for collaboration include:

Practice based research and evaluation in all aspects of widening access, Practice based research and evaluation in all aspects of widening access.
Development and delivery of professional learning and development provision for widening access and widening participation professionals.
Development and delivery of professional accreditation schemes for WA and WP professionals
WA and WP strategy development
Development and delivery of professional accreditation schemes and professional learning and development for WA and WP professionals
WA and WP strategy development .

Research or evaluation expertise: I have undertaken a variety of practice based research projects, particularly in an arts education context.

INTERESTED IN:

Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (paid)
Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (unpaid)
Funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities
Non-funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities

Angela Vettraino

a.vettraino@dundeeandangus.ac.uk

I am the Academic Partnerships Manager at Dundee and Angus College My main interests and work are related to Articulation from college to university. I am…

Anna Johnston

anna.johnston@abdn.ac.uk

I am the Lead Access Officer at the University of Aberdeen working within the Access & Articulation Team. My role involves working with secondary school pupils…

Callum Maguire

cmaguire@qmu.ac.uk

I have been working with Queen Margaret University as the Head of Widening Participation and Outreach team since 2014, having enjoyed working in similar previous roles…

Catherine Reid

c.reid.2@research.gla.ac.uk

I am a PhD student examining Widening Participation and Scottish students, looking at how understandings of ability, potential and talent relate to young people’s decisions about…

Chloe Dobson

cdobson@whocaresscotland.org

Chloe worked primarily across the education sector holding posts at Glasgow Caledonian University and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Her work supporting those with care experience…

AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Access Programmes
Adult Returners
Articulation
Attainment Gap
Care Experienced
Contextual Admissions
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Equity of Student Experience
National Policy Developments
Retention and Completion
Schools Outreach
Sense of Belonging
Student Experience and Engagement
Student Progression
Student Transitions
Widening Access and Participation Policy and Strategy

Dr Bernadette Sanderson

Bernadette.Sanderson@strath.ac.uk

I am the Director of FOCUS West – a widening access to higher education programme within the National Schools Programme in Scotland. I have a postgraduate…

AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Academic Language and Writing Support
Academic Partnerships
Access Programmes
Adult Returners
Articulation
Attainment Gap
Care Experienced
Communications
Contextual Admissions
Digital Learning
Education and Additional Support Needs
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Equity of Student Experience
Evaluation Methodologies
Evaluation Strategy and Planning
Evidencing Impact
Female representation in STEM
Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)
International Policy Developments
Mentoring
Monitoring and Evaluation
National Policy Developments
Professional Accreditation Schemes
Professional Learning and Development
Qualitative Research and Methodologies
Quantitative Research and Methodologies
Research and Evaluation
Research Ethics
Retention and Completion
Rurality
Scholarship
Schools Outreach
Sense of Belonging
Student Experience and Engagement
Student Progression
Student Recruitment
Student Transitions
Tutoring
Widening Access and Participation Policy and Strategy
Widening Access for Adult Migrants and Refugees

Dr Joanna Marshall

joanna.marshall@gcu.ac.uk

My job role is Widening Participation Manager in the School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment (SCEBE) at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU). I have an educational…

Dr Karen Campbell

karen.campbell@gcu.ac.uk; karen@here.expert

Karen has over thirty years’ experience in educational research. She is Research Fellow at Glasgow Caledonian University, a Research Associate for the College Development Network, and…

Karen has over thirty years’ experience in educational research. She is Research Fellow at Glasgow Caledonian University, a Research Associate for the College Development Network, and an independent HE research and evaluation consultant. Karen, a specialist in widening participation research and evaluation, completed her PhD entitled, ‘Widening participation in Higher Education: Immersion as an enabler’ in 2020.

Karen has published widely in, for example, Higher Education Research and Development and the Journal for Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning. Her award-winning paper, ‘How can universities contribute to the common good?’, published in Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, won the Association of University Administrators writing prize in 2019.

Karen wrote CDN’s ‘College Leadership in the Pandemic: Learning from Crisis’ report and co-authored CDN’s Co-creating the Learner Journey report on School-College Partnerships. Her most recent conceptual piece, ‘Building Belonging in the Post-Pandemic Landscape, is featured on the Quality Assurance Agency’s Resources website.

Karen is a member of the SCAPP Research and Evaluation Working Group and, along with co-writer Alison Browitt, she developed the SCAPP Widening Participation Evaluation Guide. Karen is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Aurora leader and mentor.

Areas of Interest/Expertise/Collaboration

• Widening participation in Higher Education
• Transitions to, through, and out of Higher Education
• School-College partnerships
• Articulation and progression from college
• Student progression, retention, completion and employability
• Student experience and engagement
• Sense of belonging, identity
• Intersectionality
• WP policy and practice
• Sustainable Development Goals

Areas of research or evaluation method expertise:

• Quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, data collection, analysis, reporting and dissemination
• Evaluation models and methodologies
• Developing evaluation strategies
• Writing evaluation briefings, reports and publications of national and international quality in peer reviewed journals
• Academic writing
• Research ethics
• Providing evidence of impact

Read Karen’s research publications here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Karen-Campbell-22

Read Karen’s blogs here: https://gcuacaddevelopment.wordpress.com/category/ad-team-contributors/karen-campbell/

INTERESTED IN:

Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (paid)
Funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities

AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Academic Language and Writing Support
Articulation
Evaluation Methodologies
Evaluation Strategy and Planning
Evidencing Impact
Qualitative Research and Methodologies
Quantitative Research and Methodologies
Research and Evaluation
Research Ethics
Retention and Completion
Sense of Belonging
Student Experience and Engagement
Student Progression
Student Transitions
Widening Access and Participation Policy and Strategy

Dr Katie Jones

katie.jones@thebrilliantclub.org

I am the research and evaluation consultancy lead at The Brilliant Club, a UK wide charity that supports less advantaged students to access the most competitive…

Dr Laurence Lasselle

laurence.lasselle@st-andrews.ac.uk

I am Senior Lecturer at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. I joined the School of Management in November 2013. I am a member of the…

I am Senior Lecturer at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. I joined the School of Management in November 2013.

I am a member of the Governance Group of the Scottish Framework for Fair Access. This Framework is designed to produce a step-change in knowledge about which interventions designed to promote fairer access to higher education work best. It is also designed to act as a focus, even a rallying point, for grass-roots access and participation practitioners in universities and colleges.

I am the link convener of Network 14 (Communities, Families and Schooling in Educational Research), one of the 32 networks of the European Educational Research Association. Network 14 provides a forum for the development of research-informed knowledge in the field of Education, with a specific interest in the relationships between communities, families and schools. The main aim of the network is to discuss and reveal the influences in and between these different contexts for the communities’ educational development, and to be an arena for discussing the European relevance of this research.

My recent and current research focuses on widening participation in Scottish Higher Education with a particular focus on access to Higher Education for Scottish rural and remote communities and rurality.

Areas considered for collaboration include: Rurality, remote communities.

Widening Participation Research or evaluation interests: ‘- Depicting rural deprivation in a higher education context: a Scottish case study
Lasselle, L., 26 Nov 2021, In: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education. 31, 3, p. 29-42
– Levelling the playing field between rural schools and urban schools in a HE context: a Scottish case study
Lasselle, L. S. Z. & Johnson, M., Apr 2021, In: British Educational Research Journal. 47, 2, p. 450-468 19 p.
– Exploring young people’s perception and attitudes towards their potential progression to university: a Scottish rural perspective
Lasselle, L., 1 Aug 2017, In: Australian and International Journal of Rural Education. 27, 2, p. 6-17 12 p.
– Hard to reach communities and a hard to reach university
Lasselle, L. & Macpherson, R. A., 2017, In: Journal of Academic Perspectives. 17, 1
– Barriers to higher education entry – a Scottish rural perspective
Lasselle, L., 2016, In: Scottish Educational Review. 48, 1, p. 78-88

https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/management/people/ll5/

INTERESTED IN:

Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (paid)
Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (unpaid)
Funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities
Non-funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities

Dr Liz Austen

l.austen@shu.ac.uk

I am the Head of Evaluation and Research (Student Experience, Teaching and Learning) at Sheffield Hallam University and Visiting Professor at Staffordshire University. I also work…

I am the Head of Evaluation and Research (Student Experience, Teaching and Learning) at Sheffield Hallam University and Visiting Professor at Staffordshire University. I also work as an independent Evaluation Consultant on HE sector contracts, most recently with QAA Scotland.

I have an interest in supporting others to understand and apply evaluative thinking to their practice and collect meaningful evidence. There is a bit more about me here: https://www.shu.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/staff-profiles/liz-austen.

I lead a team at Sheffield Hallam who support evaluation capacity building, our resources are open access and can be viewed here: https://blog.shu.ac.uk/steer/evaluative-mindset/. I also lead a sector wide community of practice focused on evaluation in HE.

Research and evaluation expertise: Most confident in qualitative research methods including creative evaluation methods – drawing, storytelling, diary methods etc; surveys and focus groups (online and in person); literature reviewing; https://evaluationmanifesto.wordpress.com/.

My aim is to make evaluation easy to understand and empowering!

I work with Stella Jones-Devitt on the Enhancement Themes evaluation, and we have provided evaluation capacity building session within this. We would be happy to extend this offer to the SCAPP community.

Areas considered for collaboration include: Theory of Change; evaluation methodology; dissemination and communication of findings.

As a previous lecturer, I have more awareness of the ‘participation’ space, but I believe all approaches should be accessible across the student lifecycle, and we should learn from each other!

INTERESTED IN:

Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (paid)
Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (unpaid)
Funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities
Non-funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities

Dr Neil M Speirs

neil.speirs@ed.ac.uk

Neil is a Widening Participation Manager at the University of Edinburgh. Neil’s role involves working as a manager, practitioner and researcher in a number of areas…

Dr Sally Middleton

sally.middleton@abdn.ac.uk

I have had a wide-ranging career in the widening access sector, including lifelong learning, supporting mature learners and the research and piloting of recorded lecture technology…

I have had a wide-ranging career in the widening access sector, including lifelong learning, supporting mature learners and the research and piloting of recorded lecture technology leading to managing and tutoring online learning programmes, both at the access and degree level.

I now manage the Access & Articulation Team at the University of Aberdeen. The team is the first line of support for widening access students, students from vulnerable groups and college students’ pre-entry and in the transition to degree level study. I lead on widening access strategy and implementation with a particular speciality in articulation. I was a member of the National Articulation Forum and now the Universities and Colleges Scotland Joint Articulation Group and take a leading role in the sector in both articulation policy development, supporting other practitioners through my work with SCAPP and research with colleagues in the School of Psychology. My other key speciality is the identification and support of widening access students in remote and rural locations, where my research has been instrumental in changing the University’s definition of widening access and bringing the challenges of rural students to the ear of the Fair Access Commissioner and Scottish Funding Council. I am also a founding member of the University’s, University of Sanctuary working group working with our students, local community, charities, local government to support refugees and asylum seekers both within our local communities and those wishing to join the University as students or staff.

I am Chair of the National Access and Widening Participation Management Group.

Areas considered for collaboration include: I am interested in continuing to support policy development in all areas of widening access but particularly in my two specialisms of articulation and remote & rural communities.

INTERESTED IN:

Funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities
Non-funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities
Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (paid)
Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (unpaid)

AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Academic Partnerships
Access Programmes
Adult Returners
Articulation
Attainment Gap
Care Experienced
Contextual Admissions
Digital Learning
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Equity of Student Experience
Evaluation Methodologies
Evaluation Strategy and Planning
Evidencing Impact
Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)
National Policy Developments
Research and Evaluation
Research Ethics
Retention and Completion
Rurality
Scholarship
Schools Outreach
Sense of Belonging
Student Progression
Student Recruitment
Student Transitions
Widening Access and Participation Policy and Strategy
Widening Access for Adult Migrants and Refugees

Eva Hannah

e.hanna.1@research.gla.ac.uk

I am a doctoral researcher at the University of Glasgow, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), under the supervision of Prof Alison Phipps…

I am a doctoral researcher at the University of Glasgow, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), under the supervision of Prof Alison Phipps and Dr Lavinia Hirsu. I expect to complete my PhD in autumn 2023.

I am researching language barriers to access to higher education for underrepresented groups in Scotland with a strong emphasis on forced migrants. My ethnographic research involves qualitative interviews, observation, and document analysis. I seek to provide a rich description of the various networks of practitioners from higher education institutions and third sector organisations working in partnership and constituting a wider community of practice and grassroots policy work around access to university.

My findings will have implications for several policy areas: the Scottish Government’s New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy and its English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) policy; university admissions, Widening Access, language requirements and language support policies; intra-sectorial collaboration and partnership generally.

Areas considered for collaboration include: Widening Access for adult migrants and refugees, improving access for underrepresented Scots and BAME communities. I am most able to contribute in the areas of language, specifically academic language and writing support.

I would be most interested in collaborating in the areas of Widening Access for adult migrants and refugees, but I am also interested working in the area of improving access for underrepresented Scots and BAME communities. I am most able to contribute in the areas of language, specifically academic language and writing support. I have extensive academic/professional research skills and a demonstrated capacity to produce high quality written work.

At the World Health Organisation in Switzerland, I authored a mapping report which contributed to the development of a comprehensive indicator framework to monitor progress in universal access to sexual and reproductive health. I have a MA in the Social Sciences from the University of Chicago in the United States, and a MSc in Developmental Linguistics from the University of Edinburgh. Most recently, my ESRC 1+3 studentship at the University of Glasgow included an MRes in Public Policy, for which I completed courses in Evidence, Evaluation & Policy as well as several other qualitative and quantitative methods courses. For my current PhD, I am developing strong skills in qualitative interviewing, and ethnographic methods generally.

I am most confident in my qualitative research skills.

My Linkedin profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eva-hanna-58a08970/

INTERESTED IN:

Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (paid)
Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (unpaid)
Funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities
Non-funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities

Gemma Burnside

scotland-education@open.ac.uk

I am a Partnerships Officer at The Open University in Scotland. I have experience in designing, delivering and evaluation of primary and secondary widening access interventions,…

Gordon Leonard

gordon.leonard@stir.ac.uk

Currently head of international and uk partnerships at the University of Stirling. Spent 15+ years in China, initially as a student, later stayed to head up…

Janet Hiddleston

janet.hiddleston@sruc.ac.uk

I am an Educational Support tutor at SRUC Oatridge campus . Within this role I assess and support students with education support needs, students with SpLDs,…

Jennie Younger

jennie.younger@ed.ac.uk

Communications & Information Manager at LEAPS. LEAPS is a widening participation programme which aims to encourage and advise students who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education.…

Julie McDonald

j.mcdonald@dundeeandangus.ac.uk

I am Academic Partnership Officer at Dundee and Angus College. Areas considered for collaboration include: academic partnerships

Julie Wrigley

juliewrigley@outlook.com

Independent research and evaluation consultant, regularly partnering with long-time colleague Kerry Swain kerryswain7@hotmail.com. As a team, we offer a pragmatic collective approach with an ideal mix…

Independent research and evaluation consultant, regularly partnering with long-time colleague Kerry Swain kerryswain7@hotmail.com. As a team, we offer a pragmatic collective approach with an ideal mix of expertise to deliver successful projects.

I am experienced in qualitative, quantitative and mixed research methodologies including:

• Tight project management, collaboration and proactive communication for happy and successful project outcomes
• Research & evaluation consultancy, guidance & training, advising on choice of suitable methodologies, theory of change and providing ‘critical friend’ role
• Desk-based data review e.g. of programme documents & monitoring data
• Quantitative – online surveys (including questionnaire review & design)
• Qualitative – script and tool design (including creative, participatory techniques and co-design engagement activities), depth interviews, focus groups
• Workshop facilitation
• Community engagement and peer research training
• Data analysis, interpretation and report writing
• Presentation design and delivery

I have 16 years’ experience working in research and evaluation, assessing the impact of interventions and supporting service development. I worked at Qa Research – a social research agency for 10 years where I became Head of the Social Insight & Evaluation team. I have been a freelance consultant for 4 years undertaking research and evaluations for charities and educational organisations in England and Scotland.

My work centers around young people including on learning, education, health and wellbeing.

I have years of voluntary experience supporting disadvantaged young people to flourish – in the York Autism / Asperger Support Group; for York Youth Offending Team and for North Yorkshire Business Education Partnership.

I would consider small scale, short to medium term research and evaluation projects.

Relevant projects include:
– Evaluation of SCAPP (Scotland’s Community of Access and Participation Practitioners) Accreditation Scheme (Current)
– Time4Me mentoring evaluation for Forth Valley College (2021). https://scottishmentoringnetwork.co.uk/assets/downloads/resources/6138923910e8b-fvcreportfinal.pdf
– Satisfaction Research – Secondary School Students for Calderdale Council Public Health (2018)
– Perceptions Research – Prospective Students for York St John University (2017)
– Evaluation of the Innovation Unit for Teach First (2017)
– Evaluation of Roots of Empathy Programme with mixed methods & quasi-experimental design, on behalf of Action for Children in Scotland (2015). https://qaresearch.wpengine.com/can-a-baby-in-the-classroom-boost-emotional-literacy/
– Evaluation of Scottish Take A Break programme supporting families with a child with a disability, for Family Fund (2015)
– Evaluation Consultancy & Training Workshop for Campaign to End Loneliness (2015) . : Areas of collaboration include: All aspects of social mobility. Applying a critical pedagogy lens to all forms of practice.

INTERESTED IN:

Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (paid)
Funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities

Kay Douglas

kay.douglas@ed.ac.uk

I am a Widening Participation and Outreach Coordinator, School of Geosciences at the University of Edinburgh. I support all aspects of the University of Edinburgh Widening…

Lesley Balfour

l.balfour@abertay.ac.uk

I am Director of UK Recruitment, Admissions and Wider Access at Abertay University with responsibility for contextual policy and college articulation partnership agreements. Areas considered for…

Lesley Dunbar

swapeast@ed.ac.uk

I am Director of SWAP East (Scottish Wider Access Programme). SWAP is a partnership of colleges and universities supporting adult returners, with few or no formal…

Lindsay Jack

lindsay.jack@ed.ac.uk

Lindsay (she/her) is Director of Student Experience at Edinburgh Law School, The University of Edinburgh. As an expert in widening participation into legal education and into…

Lindsay (she/her) is Director of Student Experience at Edinburgh Law School, The University of Edinburgh. As an expert in widening participation into legal education and into the legal profession in Scotland, Lindsay’s work spans the entire journey from engagement as young as primary school, to entry and transition to, and through, the law degree and beyond graduation.

Lindsay is an academic who delivers workshops in support of every WP initiative run by UoE, and additionally works nationally with stakeholders, institutions and employers; sharing best practice and advising them. She strives to ensure the success of Edinburgh Law School’s diverse group of undergraduate students, with her years of experience enabling her to take into account the backgrounds, cultures, identities, and experiences of students, and the potential impact of those on, for example, processes and procedures. Facilitating the representation of the student voice is an important part of Lindsay’s role in ensuring meaningful participation by, and empowerment of, students from under-represented groups. Lindsay is an original member of both The Law Society of Scotland’s Social Mobility Network, and of the UK Law Schools WP Network. She is a voice for change in the Law School, the university and in the legal profession.

Lindsay started at UoE in 2007, having worked previously at The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet (The WS Society), and Lothians Equal Access Programme for Schools, LEAPS. She tweets at @UoE_Law_WP where you can often find photos of her Lego workshops!

Areas considered for collaboration include: Sense of Belonging, Sense of Mattering, Inclusion, Professionally-qualifying degrees, Access to High Demand Professions

INTERESTED IN:

Funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities;
Non-Funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities;
Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (paid);

Lindsey Orrock

l.orrock@dundeeandangus.ac.uk

I am the Academic Partnership Officer at Dundee and Angus College specialising in HNC/HND and Articulation to University. Areas considered for collaboration include: Academic Partnerships and…

AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Academic Partnerships
Access Programmes
Adult Returners
Articulation
Attainment Gap
Care Experienced
Contextual Admissions
Digital Learning
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Equity of Student Experience
Evaluation Methodologies
Evaluation Strategy and Planning
Evidencing Impact
Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)
National Policy Developments
Research and Evaluation
Research Ethics
Retention and Completion
Rurality
Scholarship
Schools Outreach
Sense of Belonging
Student Progression
Student Recruitment
Student Transitions
Widening Access and Participation Policy and Strategy
Widening Access for Adult Migrants and Refugees

Luke McWilliams

luke.mcwilliams@therobertsontrust.org.uk

I am the Scholarship Administrator for the Robertson Trust. Each year, the team works with over 700 Robertson Scholars at all universities across Scotland to create…

AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Access Programmes
Articulation
Attainment Gap
Care Experienced
Classism in the classroom
Communications
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)
Mentoring
Retention and Completion
Rurality
Scholarship
Schools Outreach
Sense of Belonging
Student Experience and Engagement
Student Progression
Student Recruitment
Student Transitions
Widening Access and Participation Policy and Strategy

Mrs Kerry Swain

Kerryswain7@hotmail.com

An independent research and evaluation consultant (www.linkedin.com/in/kerryswain/) regularly working in partnership with my colleague Julie (Juliewrigley@outlook.com). As a team, we offer a pragmatic approach with an…

An independent research and evaluation consultant (www.linkedin.com/in/kerryswain/) regularly working in partnership with my colleague Julie (Juliewrigley@outlook.com). As a team, we offer a pragmatic approach with an ideal mix of expertise to deliver successful projects. I would consider small scale, short to medium term research and evaluation projects

I have over 25 years’ experience of working in the research and evaluation sector. I was employed at Qa Research – social research agency for 20 years where I became Head of the Children, Young People and Families Team and a Company Director. I have been working as a freelance consultant for the past 5 years undertaking research and evaluations mainly for charities and public sector organisations in both England and Scotland, as well as working as an Associate for Advance HE, NFER and Ecorys providing support on large scale projects.

Much of my work has centred around C&YP with a strong focus on learning and education, including widening participation and widening access.

Relevant project examples:
– Evaluation of SCAPP (Scotland’s Community of Access and Participation Practitioners) Accreditation Scheme (Current, July ’22)

– Time4Me evaluation on behalf of Forth Valley College (2021). https://scottishmentoringnetwork.co.uk/assets/downloads/resources/6138923910e8b-fvcreportfinal.pdf

– Evaluation of the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme – Associate work for NFER (2020).

– Research into part time flexible teaching in schools – Associate work for NFER (2019)

– School Improvement Learning Study – Associate work for Ecorys (2019/20)

– Opportunity Areas Evaluation – Associate work for NFER (2018)

– Roots of Empathy Programme Evaluation on behalf of Action for Children (2015)
https://qaresearch.wpengine.com/can-a-baby-in-the-classroom-boost-emotional-literacy/

I am experienced in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies including:

• Research & evaluation consultancy, guidance & training (advising on choice of suitable methodologies and providing ‘critical friend’ role)
• Quantitative – online surveys (including questionnaire review and design)
• Qualitative – script and tool design (including participatory techniques and activities), depth interviews, focus groups
• Workshop facilitation
• Community engagement and peer research training
• Data analysis, interpretation and report writing
• Presentation design and delivery

INTERESTED IN:

Funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities

Ms Kate Ewart

katie.ewart@glasgow.ac.uk

I am the Reach Programme Administrator at the University of Glasgow. Reach supports access to four professional degrees offered by the University – Dentistry, Law, Medicine…

Pamela Dobson

pf69@st-andrews.ac.uk

I am currently People and Diversity Executive Officer at the University of St Andrews, and have previous experience of working at the University as an Access…

Sam Macrae

samantha.macrae@outlook.com

I currently work as an ambassador for The Promise for Renfrewshire Council, ensuring that appropriate changes are made across the local authority to provide the best…

I currently work as an ambassador for The Promise for Renfrewshire Council, ensuring that appropriate changes are made across the local authority to provide the best outcomes for Care Experienced individuals. This also involves engaging with partner organisations to raise the profile of The Promise and support the implementation of this policy. Outside of my employment, I am a board member of the charity Project Change which aims to create a supportive community for Care Experienced individuals.

I have lived experience in studying in Higher Education as an estranged/ Care Experienced student and the challenges associated with this in terms of finances, housing and emotional support. I focused my undergraduate dissertation on the experiences of estranged students studying in HE in Scotland and used qualitative research methods to achieve this. Through my employment, my main area of expertise is around The Promise policy document and what this means for various organisations, as well as advising on issues such as language and stigma and the creation of evaluation methods to support this. Throughout my degree, I was also very interested in the creation of peer support networks for various WP groups of students and the facilitation and effectiveness of this.

Areas considered for Collaboration include: WP Provision for Estranged or Care Experienced Students, Peer support networks, Implementation of The Promise

Peer network creation for WP groups
(happy to be involved in anything else that is relevant to my experience or current job role)
Twitter – @Sam_Gracee
LinkedIn – Samantha Macrae

INTERESTED IN:

Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (paid)
Delivery of WA & WP outreach and/or training (unpaid)
Funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities
Non-funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities

Stella Jones-Devitt

stella.jones-devitt@staffs.ac.uk

Stella Jones-Devitt is Professor of Critical Pedagogy at Staffordshire University and Director of SCoLPP (Staffordshire Centre of Learning and Pedagogic Practice) pedagogic research centre. Stella has…

Stella Jones-Devitt is Professor of Critical Pedagogy at Staffordshire University and Director of SCoLPP (Staffordshire Centre of Learning and Pedagogic Practice) pedagogic research centre.

Stella has significant experience and expertise in leading, designing and implementing evaluation research. She is a National Teaching Fellow and Principal Fellow of the HEA, Visiting Professor at Leeds Beckett University and has acted as a national Ambassador for Teaching Excellence in the UK.

Her academic interests include exploring and applying innovative evaluation methodologies, flexible pedagogies and applied critical thinking. Within the confines of marketised H.E., she has a keen interest in understanding more about whose voices don’t get heard and why.

Stella and Dr Liz Austen form the core evaluation research team for the QAA Scotland 20 years of Enhancement Themes.

All forms of pedagogic research, including hidden curriculum work; alongside providing capacity-building in evaluation research, especially concerning effectiveness and its capture.

Stella usually works as part of a Team with Dr Liz Austen. They can do online, face to face or hybrid.

Areas considered for collaboration include: All aspects of social mobility. Applying a critical pedagogy lens to all forms of practice. Evaluation methodologies, Marketization of Higher Education, Hidden Curriculum.

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods Research and evaluation expertise: Qualitative and creative research methods, along with planning and designing effective evaluation research in HE.

Twitter handle is @jonesdevitt

INTERESTED IN:

Funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities
Non-funded WA & WP research/evaluation/consultancy opportunities

Stephanie Kirkham

skirkham@sfc.ac.uk

I manage the Scottish Funding Council’s policy work, funded programmes and interventions in relation to student interests with a focus on senior phase pupils and the…

AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Attainment Gap
Contextual Admissions
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Equity of Student Experience
Evaluation Methodologies
Evaluation Strategy and Planning
Evidencing Impact
Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)
International Policy Developments
Mentoring
Monitoring and Evaluation
National Policy Developments
Rurality
Schools Outreach
Sense of Belonging
Student Experience and Engagement
Student Progression
Student Transitions
Widening Access and Participation Policy and Strategy

Tracey Kerr

tracey.kerr@hw.ac.uk

I am the Widening Participation Manager for Heriot-Watt University, with responsibility for both day-to-day and strategic provision. I started off as a mature student, and worked…

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SCAPP Directory of Practice and Expertise

Alison Train

Andrew Comrie

Angela Vettraino

Anna Johnston

Callum Maguire

Catherine Reid

Chloe Dobson

Dr Bernadette Sanderson

Dr Joanna Marshall

Dr Karen Campbell

Dr Katie Jones

Dr Laurence Lasselle

Dr Liz Austen

Dr Neil M Speirs

Dr Sally Middleton

Eva Hannah

Gemma Burnside

Gordon Leonard

Janet Hiddleston

Jennie Younger

Julie McDonald

Julie Wrigley

Kay Douglas

Lesley Balfour

Lesley Dunbar

Lindsay Jack

Lindsey Orrock

Luke McWilliams

Mrs Kerry Swain

Ms Kate Ewart

Pamela Dobson

Sam Macrae

Stella Jones-Devitt

Stephanie Kirkham

Tracey Kerr

SCAPP Directory of Practice and Expertise

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Alison Train

Andrew Comrie

Angela Vettraino

Anna Johnston

Callum Maguire

Catherine Reid

Chloe Dobson

Dr Bernadette Sanderson

Dr Joanna Marshall

Dr Karen Campbell

Dr Katie Jones

Dr Laurence Lasselle

Dr Liz Austen

Dr Neil M Speirs

Dr Sally Middleton

Eva Hannah

Gemma Burnside

Gordon Leonard

Janet Hiddleston

Jennie Younger

Julie McDonald

Julie Wrigley

Kay Douglas

Lesley Balfour

Lesley Dunbar

Lindsay Jack

Lindsey Orrock

Luke McWilliams

Mrs Kerry Swain

Ms Kate Ewart

Pamela Dobson

Sam Macrae

Stella Jones-Devitt

Stephanie Kirkham

Tracey Kerr