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Events

See events across the Widening Access & Participation Sector

Please get in touch if you have an event your organisation would like to be promoted on scapp@stir.ac.uk

Upcoming Sector Events (updated 11/12/25)

Free WAHEN (World Access to Higher Education Network) 2026 Global Communities Seminar Series

Across six fortnightly sessions, WAHEN tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing higher education today, from disability inclusion and lifelong learning to institutional strategies, global innovation, and policy frameworks:

  • 15 January: Disability in a Global Higher Education Landscape
  • 29 January: Institutional Strategies for Advancing Equity and Student Success
  • 12 February: Global Perspectives on Lifelong Learning
  • 26 February: Global Approaches to Innovation and Equity in Higher Education
  • 12 March: Uncovering Strategies for Inclusive Student Success
  • 26 March: Policy for Inclusive Higher Education
  • Each seminar will feature expert presentations followed by interactive discussions, giving you the chance to ask questions, exchange ideas, and connect with peers around the world.

Sign up here

National Equal Opportunities Network (NEON)

Why Working with Primary Age Children is crucial to Widening Access
30 Jan 2026, 10 – 4

Aware that aspirations about education and work are formed early in life, with children as young as five having stereotypical views about education and jobs, based on their gender, ethnicity, and social background NEON would like to highlight this online Supporting Practice event. It will focus on why as a sector we should be focussing more on supporting this age group in particular.

Find out more and book here

Access and Success Academy session
26 Feb 2026, 10 – 4 

This online session will enable participants to:

  • Understand and be able to apply theories about transition and their importance to student success.
  • Consider why transition is especially vital for students from under-represented groups.
  • Look at different strategies for student transition and consider the benefits and challenges of each strategy.
  • Understand the relationship between day students and institutional loyalty.
  • Share different strategies and learn from each other’s practice.
  • Be able to design a student transition programme that supports students from under-represented backgrounds.

Find out more and book here

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) is pleased to announce its new programme of training courses for the first half of 2026.

29 January – Questionnaire design
11-12 February – Depth Interviewing Skills
11-12 March – Randomised Controlled Trials for Quantitative Social Researchers
18-19 March – Managing Challenging Interviews
24 March –Introduction to Evaluation
21-23 April – Designing and Moderating Focus Groups
28 April – Ethical Considerations in Social Research
13-14 May – Introduction to Deliberation for Research
20 May – Qualitative Data Analysis
16 June – Reporting Qualitative Data

Visit their website to find out more

International Forum for Peer Learning and Support

The next Forum will be hosted at QMU on Thurs 21 and Fri 22 May 2026 and is free of charge. This is a great opportunity for members of the SCAPP community who are interested in working with students as partners, or expanding student-led peer facilitation to support WP students, to find out more about initiatives happening across the UK and beyond.

Registration closes: 5pm on Friday, 27th February, 2026

Find out more and sign up here

Upcoming Sector Events (Updated 31/10/25)

Care Experienced Week 2025: Supporting Educational Equity
27-31 October

This is a week to recognise the achievements, voices, and resilience of care experienced people, and to reflect on the collective responsibility we share as professionals, educators, and corporate parents to make sure every learner thrives. This week, the Hub for Success are highlighting new research, resources, and events that help us build stronger systems of support.

Featured Reading: “Scaffolding of Success: Support, Educational Equity, and the Lifelong Reality of Care Experience” Youth 2025, 5, 101. Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection (CELCIS), University of Strathclyde. Read the full article here →

Upcoming Event: The Fostering Network’s “Tick the Box” Webinar, Tuesday 18th November |  11am–1pm
An interactive session with expert panellists exploring the UCAS application process, available support, and university insights — including time for questions and practical advice. Register here

Online Professional Learning Opportunities: Who Cares? Scotland have created a Corporate Parenting CPD module for college staff, developed in partnership with the College Development Network. Access the module here or why not have a browse through some good practice guides on the Hub for SUCCESS website! Helpful Resources – HUB for SUCCESS

Scottish Career Week 2025 

10-14 November

Scottish Careers Week returns next month from 10 to 14 November with events and activities for everyone.

SCAPP members may be interested in The voice of young people, parents and carers: what shapes career choices today? webinar (3.30pm on Wed, 12 Nov) Sign up on MS Teams.

Also, Into Film will be leading the Discover! Creative Careers Week programmes in Scotland and Wales across 2025-26, delivering a wide range of exciting activities, including industry visits and workshops, online and in-class talks, and careers events at the Into Film Festival. Discover! Creative Careers is a government-funded, industry-led programme that is working to ensure there is a larger and more diverse intake of talent via a broader range of routes into the creative industries. The free-to-access hybrid programme of activities and resources offers meaningful encounters with industry professionals, online tools, training and support throughout the year.

Staf Annual Conference: Thriving Together in Complexity: Deepening relationship-based practice with young people at the heart.
11th November, Stirling Court Hotel

Staf is Scotland’s national membership organisation for all of those involved in the lives of young people leaving care. This year’s conference will bring together practitioners, policymakers and care experienced young people to reflect on how we can sustain and strengthen meaningful relationships in increasingly complex systems. We’re now inviting submissions for sessions, including workshops, creative contributions, and practice-based presentations. If you have a project, idea or approach that centres connection, trust or young people’s voices, we’d love to hear from you.

Book your place here.

WONKE Festival of HE
11-12 November

Tickets are selling fast for the Festival of HE. Grab yours before it’s too late
Check out the full programme and click here for booking information

Sanctuary in Action: Universities Fostering Belonging and Community
12 November, 12:00–16:00, online

Universities of Sanctuary and STAR (Student Action for Refugees) would like to invite you to our upcoming interactive webinar:

In the current time of rising hostility and divisions, many in the university community are struggling with exclusion and animosity. This workshop will bring together voices from activists, as well as charities and the university sector, to create a space of reflection on how we can ensure that our campuses are safe and welcoming, and that our universities uphold sanctuary principles of inclusion, respect and embracing difference, both within their own communities and more widely.

The session will explore: The current climate and challenges within HE; Reflections from students and staff on lived experiences; Actions, initiatives, and frameworks universities can take; Q&A and discussions to share ideas and learn from peers.

Please register in advance using this link, joining details will be sent 24 hours before the event.

Times Higher Education: Student Success UK&IE 2025 – Elevating every step of the student journey
12–13 November, Edinburgh (Paid-for event)

Join Times Higher Education’s Student Success UK&IE 2025 in Edinburgh for a two-day conference focused on enhancing student outcomes through teaching, support, and data-driven approaches.

Register with a 30% discount

Transforming Access and Student Outcomes (TASO): Autumn Evaluation Essentials Series (Paid-for Training):

1. Implementation and process evaluation (13 November 10:00–16:00, online)

This interactive session will cover core principles, planning, best practice and real-world examples. It aims to help practitioners and evaluators understand how interventions work and how to improve them.

Find out more here and book your place:

2. Communicating evidence through data visualisation (27 November, 10:00–16:00, online)

This hands-on session will teach core principles, chart selection, accessibility, and practical skills in Excel and R, helping you create clear, engaging visuals that turn data into impactful insights.
Find out more here and book your place

3. Impact evaluation with small cohorts (9 December, 10:00–16:00, online)

This session will introduce theory-based methods for evaluating interventions with fewer than 50 participants, offering practical guidance, case studies, and opportunities to apply concepts to your own context.

Find out more here and book your place

National Education Opportunities Network (NEON) Supporting Practice Event
19 November 10am – 4 pm, online

Supporting Practice events aim to feature practical examples of current practice from organisations that will help you to develop your own interventions. Many of these examples have been nominated for NEON Awards and have proven evidence of impact. This event focusses upon partnership working.

Reserve your place by clicking here.

Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) Conference 2025
19 – 21 November 2025, University of Aberdeen

The SERA Annual Conference is an important event for the educational research community in Scotland. The three-day conference invites researchers and practitioners working in Scottish and international research contexts to share their insights under the theme of Education: Open to all?

The SCAPP Team will be presenting as part of a Poverty in Education Symposium. Find out more and sign up here.

Universities UK’s Access, Participation and Student Success Conference
20 November, London or online

This one-day event will explore:

✅ How UUK’s Access to Success work is shaping institutional strategy and national conversations
✅ Emerging policy priorities influencing access and participation
✅ Regional and place-based approaches to widening opportunity
✅ Innovative and inclusive delivery models in a financially constrained environment
✅ How institutions are supporting student success and progression

Book your place here.

SCiP Alliance Annual Conference 2025 – Whole Person, Whole Journey
26 November, Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow

The SCiP Alliance Annual Conference 2025 will bring together practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and funders to explore a whole person, whole journey approach to supporting Service children. This vital theme recognises the need for collaboration across education, youth work, health, and wellbeing, ensuring seamless support from early years to adulthood. Hosted in Glasgow, the event will highlight Scotland’s pioneering work while fostering cross-border learning through practical workshops, expert panels, and keynote insights.

Find out more about the conference and book your ticket here.

Upcoming Sector Events (Updated 30/9/25)

Are your HN students thinking about their next steps into higher education?
The Open University in Scotland is hosting an information session this academic year designed specifically for academic and support staff at Scottish colleges. The session will highlight the OU’s flexible and widening access higher education pathways for HN students, especially those considering articulation into degree-level study. The session will cover topics such as subject areas, fees and funding, making an HNC/HND count towards an OU degree and student support services available.

Why attend?

  • Discover how OU degrees align with HN qualifications and how students could obtain a BA (Hons) degree in as little as one year.
  • Learn about our unique support for part-time and distance learning model developed for over 50 years.
  • Find out how we’re helping students transition confidently into higher education and reach their academic potential.
  • Ask questions and connect with OU staff.

Whether you’re advising students directly or shaping curriculum pathways for HN students, these sessions will equip you with valuable insights on how the OU could be the right place to support your learners’ future academic ambitions.

Session Date: Monday 6th October 16:00-17:00 (Microsoft TEAMS)

Click here to Register (Please note, we will explore options to host additional sessions in the future if you cannot attend this one)

We look forward to welcoming you and working together to empower Scotland’s HN students.

The Power of Potential: A Journey with Outward Bound
Free 24 hour Taster for WA/WP Staff
17-18th October (in-person, Ullswater Centre)

This immersive experience offers a powerful opportunity for staff working on Widening Access programmes to step into the world of Outward Bound – where challenge, reflection and the great outdoors combine to unlock confidence, resilience, and leadership in young people. We’re proud to support several Widening Access initiatives—and we’re ready to support more.

What you’ll gain:

⛺ Insight into how outdoor residentials foster resilience, confidence and self-belief
🛶 Strategies used in Outward Bound courses to support learners
⛰️ Inspiration from how other programmes are using Outward Bound to support their students

If you want to join us on 17/18th October at our Ullswater Centre for this free event, then use this link to book your place now!

National Education Opportunities Network (NEON) 
Wed 22nd Oct, 10-4 online

We are excited to invite you to our one-day online course designed specifically for practitioners who are new to evaluation or for whom evaluation is not a main part of their role. This course will equip you with that understanding and help you to ensure evaluation is considered throughout the whole process of planning and implementing an activity.

Find out more and sign up here.

Transforming Access and Student Outcomes (TASO)

Our new ‘Autumn Evaluation Essentials’  is designed to help you plan, measure and demonstrate the impact of your work with confidence.

Find out more and sign up here.

College Development Network: training and development opportunities

Applications are now open for the new CDN Executive Leadership Series – part of their Leadership and Management Programmes. They also have a limited number of places on their popular Emerging Leaders and Strategic Leaders programmes, starting this September, with the following cohort launching in January.

CDN is also proud to launch Elevate LT, a funded professional learning programme developed with TeachingHOW2s. Running through the 2025–26 academic year, this pilot supports college staff in enhancing teaching practice and creating engaging learning environments. View the programme here.

Staf Annual Conference
Thriving Together in Complexity: Deepening relationship-based practice with young people at the heart.
11th November, Stirling Court Hotel

Staf is Scotland’s national membership organisation for all of those involved in the lives of young people leaving care. This year’s conference will bring together practitioners, policymakers and care experienced young people to reflect on how we can sustain and strengthen meaningful relationships in increasingly complex systems. We’re now inviting submissions for sessions, including workshops, creative contributions, and practice-based presentations. If you have a project, idea or approach that centres connection, trust or young people’s voices, we’d love to hear from you.

Book your place here.

Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) Conference 2025
19th – 21st November 2025, University of Aberdeen

The SERA Annual Conference is an important event for the educational research community in Scotland. The three-day conference invites researchers and practitioners working in Scottish and international research contexts to share their insights under the theme of Education: Open to all?

The SCAPP Team will be presenting as part of a Poverty in Education Symposium. Find out more and sign up here.

Universities UK’s Access, Participation and Student Success Conference
London or online, Thurs 20 Nov 2025

This one-day event will explore:

✅ How UUK’s Access to Success work is shaping institutional strategy and national conversations
✅ Emerging policy priorities influencing access and participation
✅ Regional and place-based approaches to widening opportunity
✅ Innovative and inclusive delivery models in a financially constrained environment
✅ How institutions are supporting student success and progression

Expect practical insights, sector-leading speakers, and the opportunity to share approaches with peers at a pivotal time for access and participation in higher education.

Book your place here.

SCiP Alliance Annual Conference 2025
Whole Person, Whole Journey
26th Nov 2025, Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow

The SCiP Alliance Annual Conference 2025 will bring together practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and funders to explore a whole person, whole journey approach to supporting Service children. This vital theme recognises the need for collaboration across education, youth work, health, and wellbeing, ensuring seamless support from early years to adulthood. Hosted in Glasgow, the event will highlight Scotland’s pioneering work while fostering cross-border learning through practical workshops, expert panels, and keynote insights.

Find out more about the conference and book your ticket here.

Upcoming Sector Events (updated 28/8/25)

College Development Network: training and development opportunities

Applications are now open for the new CDN Executive Leadership Series – part of their Leadership and Management Programmes. They also have a limited number of places on their popular Emerging Leaders and Strategic Leaders programmes, starting this September, with the following cohort launching in January.

CDN is also proud to launch Elevate LT, a funded professional learning programme developed with TeachingHOW2s. Running through the 2025–26 academic year, this pilot supports college staff in enhancing teaching practice and creating engaging learning environments. View the programme here.

Transforming Access and student Outcomes (TASO) Theory of Change Training Session
2 October, 10:00–16:00 (online)

TASO has just launched the Theory of Change Builder – a new online tool designed to help the higher education sector evaluate widening participation interventions. Developed in collaboration with sector practitioners, the tool has been designed to reflect the real-world needs of higher education providers

Focused on creating and building a Core Theory of Change. This training session will equip you with a complete, ready-to-implement framework tailored to your programme, guided by expert facilitators. Sign up here.

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen)

A number of training courses are now available for those who hold an interest in research and evaluation. NatCen Learning is a leading provider of high-quality training, facilitation, and high-capacity events, delivering practical insight and skills for social research. Led by experienced researchers and rooted in real-world practice, these courses offer practical insights you can put to use right away.

The Power of Potential: A Journey with Outward Bound
Free 24 hour Taster for WA/WP Staff
17-18th October (in-person, Ullswater Centre)

This immersive experience offers a powerful opportunity for staff working on Widening Access programmes to step into the world of Outward Bound – where challenge, reflection and the great outdoors combine to unlock confidence, resilience, and leadership in young people. We’re proud to support several Widening Access initiatives—and we’re ready to support more.

What you’ll gain:

⛺ Insight into how outdoor residentials foster resilience, confidence and self-belief
🛶 Strategies used in Outward Bound courses to support learners
⛰️ Inspiration from how other programmes are using Outward Bound to support their students

If you want to join us on 17/18th October at our Ullswater Centre for this free event, then use this link to book your place now!

Staf Annual Conference: Thriving Together in Complexity: Deepening relationship-based practice with young people at the heart.
11th November, Stirling Court Hotel

Staf is Scotland’s national membership organisation for all of those involved in the lives of young people leaving care. This year’s conference will bring together practitioners, policymakers and care experienced young people to reflect on how we can sustain and strengthen meaningful relationships in increasingly complex systems. We’re now inviting submissions for sessions, including workshops, creative contributions, and practice-based presentations. If you have a project, idea or approach that centres connection, trust or young people’s voices, we’d love to hear from you.

Book your place here.

Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) Conference 2025
19th – 21st November 2025, University of Aberdeen

The SERA Annual Conference is an important event for the educational research community in Scotland. The three-day conference invites researchers and practitioners working in Scottish and international research contexts to share their insights under the theme of Education: Open to all?

The SCAPP Team will be presenting as part of a Poverty in Edication Symposium. Find out more and sign up here.

SCiP Alliance Annual Conference 2025: Whole Person, Whole Journey
26th Nov 2025, Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow

The SCiP Alliance Annual Conference 2025 will bring together practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and funders to explore a whole person, whole journey approach to supporting Service children. This vital theme recognises the need for collaboration across education, youth work, health, and wellbeing, ensuring seamless support from early years to adulthood. Hosted in Glasgow, the event will highlight Scotland’s pioneering work while fostering cross-border learning through practical workshops, expert panels, and keynote insights.

Find out more about the conference and book your ticket here (early bird rates available till 31 Aug)

Sector Events May/June 2025

Student Action for Refugees (STAR): Small Charity Week – 23rd – 30th June

Student Action for Refugees (STAR) is taking part in the Big Give Small Charity Week match funding campaign. From 23rd – 30th June, all donations made through the Big Give campaign page will be doubled! They’ll be raising money for the STAR University Mentoring Programme which ensures that refugees get access to the right information and support to apply to university in the UK. You can see the campaign page here.

Through the STAR University mentoring programme, STAR will be able to :

  • Provide 1:1 peer mentoring to displaced scholars throughout the academic year,  from exploring their higher education options, the application process, scholarship applications and preparing for student life.
  • Train student volunteers to become knowledgeable, thorough and supportive mentors.
  • Deliver workshops and resources on how to access university and create spaces for peer to peer connection.

How you can help:

  • Share the campaign with your family and friends!
  • Email all fellow staff and any contacts you know who might be interested
  • Print the campaign poster with the QR code, and put it up wherever you think it will have good visibility!
  • Share the campaign on your social media
  • Add the campaign page to your signature or out of office: Let’s get refugees into uni!📚🎓 Donate to Student Action for Refugees’ Small Charity Week Big Give Fundraiser between 23rd-29th June and your donation will be doubled!

 

WAHEN

· Supporting Low-Income & Marginalised Students to Achieve Their Potential (global) 2 July, 2-4pm

NEON Access and Success Academy – The Principles of Information, Advice and Guidance and Their Importance for Widening Access

Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 10 – 4pm (online)

Making sure that all learners – especially those from under-represented groups – receive accurate information, advice, and guidance is crucial to helping them stay on their educational path, transition successfully into higher education, and achieve positive outcomes. Effective support and interventions depend on a deep understanding of how to navigate the wide range of choices available to them. To achieve this, NEON invites you to their upcoming Access and Success Academy training.

Register to attend here.

Scottish Mentoring Network – PPAM Information Session

15th July 2025 (online)

The Professional Practice Award in Mentoring (SCQF Level 7) equips mentors with practical tools and reflective insight to support others more effectively.

✅ Hybrid delivery (Zoom sessions + self-paced learning)
✅ Must be mentoring or about to begin
✅ Builds confidence, structure, and impact

Unit 1 session 10:30am-12noon 22nd July
Unit 2 session 10:30am – 12noon 12th August.

For further information, contact Sarah: sarah@scottishmentoringnetwork.co.uk

Open University Virtual Open Days

If you are interested in studying with the Open University, you can get a taste of OU life wherever you are, through our Virtual Open Days.

Virtual Open Days offer an opportunity to discover what the OU has to offer and where study could take you, through video explainers and guides, live webchats, and students and graduates sharing their stories and advice.

The online events are available as a mix of afternoon and evening sessions until 17 July.

Join the Scottish Peer Support Network

The Scottish Peer Support Network (SPSN) is a JISC mailing list for staff in Scottish FE and HE institutions who work with students on initiatives which involve peer-to-peer learning, mentoring, and support. It provides a space where we can come together to share ideas, resources, and experiences to help develop and enhance peer learning and support provision across Scotland.

This is an exciting time for the network as we are extending the scope of our remit and we would encourage colleagues from across the sector who work in peer learning/mentoring to join us and help build the network into a thriving community.

The Scottish Peer Support Network (SPSN) is pleased to announce its renewed thematic scope for the 2025-2026 academic year. Building on previous successful engagement with Learning Developers in the Scottish HE sector, the network seeks to broaden its outreach to more professionals with peer-focused remits in HE and FE institutions across Scotland. The network is particularly interested in merging its previous focus on academically-focused peer-enabled learning development with peer-focused service lines in strands such as pastoral support, wellbeing, careers, and other initiatives focusing on peer-to-peer student interactions.

SPSN co-chairs Lisa Vettese Cruden (PALS Coordinator, Queen Margaret University) and Bob Imbur (Peer Learning Facilitator, University of Glasgow) invite you to get in touch and share your vision of what a support network encompassing peer-focused service lines in HE and FE institutions might look like! Please contact Lisa (lcruden@qmu.ac.uk), or join the mailing list directly (www.jiscmail.ac.uk/ SCOTTISHPEERSUPPORTNETWORK).

We look forward to welcoming new members!

The Power of Potential: A Journey with Outward Bound

Free 24 hour Taster for WA/WP Staff -17/18th October 

This immersive experience offers a powerful opportunity for staff working on Widening Access programmes to step into the world of Outward Bound – where challenge, reflection and the great outdoors combine to unlock confidence, resilience, and leadership in young people. We’re proud to support several Widening Access initiatives—and we’re ready to support more.

What you’ll gain:

⛺ Insight into how outdoor residentials foster resilience, confidence and self-belief
🛶 Strategies used in Outward Bound courses to support learners
⛰️ Inspiration from how other programmes are using Outward Bound to support their students

If you want to join us on 17/18th October at our Ullswater Centre for this free event, then use this link to book your place now!

Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) Conference 2025

19th – 21st November 2025, University of Aberdeen

The SERA Annual Conference is an important event for the educational research community in Scotland.

The three-day conference invites researchers and practitioners working in Scottish and international research contexts to share their insights under the theme of Education: Open to all?

Find out more here.

SCiP Alliance Annual Conference 2025: Whole Person, Whole Journey

The SCiP Alliance Annual Conference 2025 (26th Nov 2025) will bring together practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and funders to explore a whole person, whole journey approach to supporting Service children. This vital theme recognises the need for collaboration across education, youth work, health, and wellbeing, ensuring seamless support from early years to adulthood. Hosted in Glasgow, the event will highlight Scotland’s pioneering work while fostering cross-border learning through practical workshops, expert panels, and keynote insights.

Find our more about the call for conference workshop proposals here (the deadline for submissions is 14 Aug)

Find out more about the conference and book your ticket here (early bird rates available till 31 Aug)