Supporting students to fulfil their academic potential
Introduction
Students from underrepresented groups achieve good outcomes at Exeter and our support for these students contributed to achieving triple gold within the Teaching Excellence Framework.
We want every student to be able to fulfil their academic potential but recognise this can be challenging depending on personal circumstances, previous educational experience, time and financial constraints.
Sector research indicates challenges are most likely to be experienced by students from underrepresented or under-resourced backgrounds and can result in differential outcomes in degree awarding, continuation or completion of study.
In seeking to alleviate academic barriers to equal opportunity, we have considered key success factors including meaningful interaction between staff and students; knowledge, confidence and identity as successful HE learners; an educational experience that is relevant to students’ interests and future goals; and supportive peer relations.
Major educational changes address inequalities
A key focus of our Education Strategy has been to design out barriers to equal opportunity where possible by embedding inclusive educational practice and putting in place systemic improvements to student support.
In 2024/25 we transformed our academic student support model with the aim of providing proactive personalised, early interventions to support academic and personal development. Meanwhile fundamental changes to our curriculum have sought to implement best practice frameworks for inclusive education while delivering a range of other improvements designed to better integrate skills development to meet student and employer needs.
Proactive student support
In the 2023-24 academic year, we piloted the implementation of new Pastoral Mentor roles as part of a wider Student Academic Support model.
Pastoral Mentors are a point of contact, embedded within departments, who can support students facing challenges that impact their ability to study and be successful in their programme. They are also a point of contact for Academic Tutors and provide end-to-end support for student queries, including signposting to expert services as required.
Over the 2024-25 academic year we have fully rolled out our Student Academic Support model, increasing from five Pastoral Mentors across three departments in the 2023-24 pilot to 28 Pastoral Mentors across all departments. More than 1,400 student interactions with Pastoral Mentors in the 2024-25 academic year resulted in signposting to specialist support services, including Widening Participation initiatives for eligible students. Acting as a named point of contact within department, Pastoral Mentors have been able to help students navigate to the right support as and when they need it.
In the past 12 months, we have supported more than 3,500 students through challenges relating to their academic and personal wellbeing. We have seen a correlated 5.8% increase in our ‘Access to Information about mental health and wellbeing services’ and a 30% reduction in variability across departments – indicators of progress against the project aims of improving accessibility and consistency of support for all our students.
We have also observed reduced rates of academic mitigation, repeat or delayed study, and non-continuation rates amongst students in departments with Pastoral Mentors embedded from the start of the academic year. Students from underrepresented backgrounds make up a disproportionate ratio of these groups, and it is hoped that the longer-term impact of Pastoral Mentor rollout is a reduction in attainment gaps through enhanced proactive support to students who traditionally face additional barriers to success.
The project received positive feedback during the University Mental Health Charter Award assessment, especially in bridging gaps between academic and professional staff and supporting students directly, particularly international and disabled students. Pastoral mentors were noted as an area of good practice.
Our Student Academic Support model has increased the amount of Pastoral Mentors to 28 across all departments.
More than 1,400 student interactions with Pastoral Mentors in 2024-25.
We have supported more than 3,500 students over the past year.
Developing skills within the curriculum
Curriculum for Change (C4C) is a major initiative to introduce a new undergraduate model for education which is distinctive, sustainable and inclusive.
The new teaching model will ensure all our students access diverse learning experiences and opportunities to engage in real-world issues within the curriculum to equip themselves for future careers and to lead change.
The C4C programme aims to amplify excellence within our current curriculum by applying common teaching principles and mapping our undergraduate portfolio to a new Exeter Skills Framework. The purpose of mapping and integrating the skills framework across the curriculum is to enable all students to develop and evidence key skills as they study, ensuring those unable to engage in skills development through extracurricular activities are not disadvantaged. Students will be able to recognise, articulate and assess the skills they have acquired, supporting their success throughout and beyond university.
Development of the framework was based on consultation with staff, students, and external partners. Students prioritised the following:
- opportunities they have undertaken to be recognised e.g. in digital certification
- positive attitudes towards existing experiential learning opportunities e.g. year abroad
- the importance of providing opportunities within study as time and financial constraints created barriers to extracurricular skills development.
The Framework, co-designed by staff and students in Exeter’s Business School, outlines 42 skills that Exeter undergraduates will be exposed to and develop throughout their programmes. In May 2025, academic and professional services staff began mapping their existing curriculum and teaching activities to the Exeter Skills Framework, with programmes expected to be fully aligned by 2026/27. Supporting resources received 1,400 visits alone over the summer.
A further strand of the project has involved exploring options to enable students to track and monitor their skills development. Findings from pilots and external research will inform our next steps with the view to having a solution in place for 2026/27.
Placing accessible education at the heart of curriculum design
Students tell us that building accessible design into the curriculum will make a step change in supporting disability.
During consultation on learning and disability last year, these student were typical: “If my degree was built with access needs inherently imbedded and considered, it would be a breath of fresh air.” “Inclusive education is about feeling like I belong in my classes and not like I’m a burden.”
We have now taken a significant step forward in inclusive education with the launch of the new Accessible Teaching and Learning Policy. The policy has been formally embedded as the first curriculum design principle in the institutional curriculum enhancement project, Curriculum for Change. It represents a major shift in the focus from reliance on individual learning Plan (ILPs) to a more systemic approach that builds accessibility into the design and delivery of teaching for all students.
The policy sets out clear expectations and minimum baseline standards that apply across all taught modules and includes the most common educational adjustments recommended for disabled students, including prioritised reading lists, advance access to course outlines and early provision of lecture resources, recording of live teaching sessions (or provision of a suitable alternatives), and provision of accessible teaching resources. Module Accessibility Statements will be published, giving students clear advance information about the accessibility provision in each module they are interested in taking.
Disabled students, teaching staff and the wellbeing team have been closely involved in drafting this new policy, and roll out is supported by a co-created bank of resources and workshops. This work complements our existing programme of hands-on workshops to develop educator skills in inclusive teaching design using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. More than 350 educators have already taken part, either in person or through the new online training course: Introduction to Universal Design for Learning.
By making accessibility a standard part of curriculum design, we are creating a more consistent and equitable learning experience for all students. The new Accessible Teaching and Learning Policy ensures that inclusivity is no longer an add-on, but a central part of how we teach and support learning.
Transformative Education Framework
Work to embed inclusive education, racial and social justice and sustainability, within our curriculum have continued at pace to support student development and address risk to equal opportunity.
The Transformative Education Framework (TrEF) is focused on incorporating these key principles into our curriculum and teaching methods. Developed to create a transformative experience for our students, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in a diverse world, it also aims to support belonging and equity for underrepresented students at the University.
We have made significant progress in implementing the framework through various activities across the University. Since the framework was established more than 700 staff and external partners have engaged in transformative education seminars to help develop their practice. Senior educators have collaborated to establish descriptors for the three pillars of the framework, along with examples of how to integrate the principles of racial and social justice, sustainability and inclusivity within module content. This effort is backed by case studies and additional resources for educators, which can be accessed online.
Implementation is being accelerated through Curriculum for Change, with the framework being used as a tool to review and enhance the curriculum at programme level across faculties. In February 2025, we conducted a staff workshop on how to embed these principles in the curriculum. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with staff expressing that the workshop encouraged them to think more proactively about curriculum enhancement.
“It gave the opportunity for people who are not comfortable to talk about these topics in their teaching confidence to be able to bring up aspects of social injustice in teaching sessions.”
“Some of the best 2 hours I have spent on learning and discussing teaching.”
Transformative Education at the University of Exeter
Focus on racial equality and inclusion
We have seen welcome progress in narrowing the degree awarding gap for our Black students, but like the sector still have persistent gaps for Black, Asian and other ethnic minority students.
We have been active in taking whole institution approaches to improve the outcomes and experience of our ethnic minority students. This has included work to achieve the Race Equality Charter and engagement with sector equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives such as 100 Black Women Professors Now.
These interventions driven by open and constructive conversations with staff and students have encompassed leadership, culture, policy, curriculum, recruitment practice and training. We have also developed initiatives to provide focused support, where needed, in consultation with students and staff, including specific programmes and dedicated staff roles.
Empowering Black Voices through the Black Leadership Programme
The Black Leadership Programme – delivered in partnership with the charity GRIT – is a transformative initiative aimed at empowering students of African and Afro-Caribbean heritage.
Now in its third year, the programme has grown significantly, tripling its student participation and deepening its impact on student confidence, leadership, and academic engagement.
Despite the presence of talent across all demographics, Black students often face systemic barriers that hinder their academic and professional progression. These include limited access to academic role models, a reduced sense of belonging, and fewer leadership opportunities.
The University partnered with GRIT to deliver a Black Leadership Programme with the aim of creating an identity-affirming space to foster leadership, confidence, and community among Black students. First held in 2023/24 with a pilot group of 11 students, the programme in 2024/25 welcomed 33 students. Predominantly female undergraduate students, with 16% male and 3% non-binary students, the majority identified as Black, Black African or Black British. Many shared other characteristics of underrepresentation, e.g. 19% were the first in their family to enter higher education; 16% were mature; and 31% had been eligible for free school meals.
The programme delivered measurable outcomes across several key areas. Following the programme: 97% of participants reported a strong sense of belonging at University; 94% felt more confident in creating new opportunities; 97% felt clearer in their role as a leader; 90% felt confident discussing issues affecting them as Black individuals; 85% felt more capable of setting and review goals, with all but one student reporting improved confidence and communication skills. Notably, six of the group who had considered leaving the University, decided to stay.
These outcomes align with broader research findings, including evaluations funded by Transforming Access and Outcomes for Students and GRIT’s own data across seven universities, which show strong correlations between identity-affirming spaces and academic success.
Following the programme:
97% of participants reported a strong sense of belonging at University.
94% felt more confident in creating new opportunities.
97% felt clearer in their role as a leader.
90% felt confident discussing issues affecting them as Black individuals.
85% felt more capable of setting and review goals.
of those surveyed said their employability skills had improved following their internship.
agreed the internships helped them feel more confident about securing a graduate job.
agreed the experience will help them during the interview process for future jobs.
agreed the internship has helped inform their career plan and they feel positive about future career opportunities.
Academic Leads for Student Support
Academic roles are appointed across faculties to provide safe, confidential, and supportive spaces for students with protected characteristics and those from marginalised communities to raise concerns and seek support.
Academic Leads for Student Support (Inclusion and Racial Equality) are a valuable source of support for students experiencing discrimination and harassment. They act as approachable points of contact for students to help them to report their experiences and/or navigate and access support. In some cases, being an empathetic listener is the level of support required but the lead may also help students make informal or formal complaints or refer them to other services such as Wellbeing, Careers, the Success for All Fund and more.
A community of practice group led by Professor Vrinda Nayak, Associate Dean for Taught Students (Inclusion and Racial Equality) brings the leads together twice per term to discuss relevant issues and challenges faced in supporting students. These provide opportunities to surface and escalate any policy or structural barriers to equal opportunity experienced within the University or on work placement so they can be addressed.
Beyond direct student support, the academic leads advocate for change within departments and support initiatives and events. Notably, they have contributed to improving the student complaint process by collaborating with Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Legal teams on the review of Exeter Speaks Out (now Support and Report) to make the process more transparent and easier to use.
The role holders have actively supported a diverse range of events aimed at fostering inclusion and community among students. These include ethnic minority and international student networking events, which provide opportunities for students to connect and share experiences. Academic skills workshops have been offered to support students in their studies, while 1:1 drop-in sessions allow for personalised guidance and support.
They have also maintained a visible presence at key university events, such as hosting a stall at the Welcome Fair and organising orienteering activities to help students familiarise themselves with the campus. Workshops have been delivered as part of the Success for All conference, and “Come and Meet” events have helped students from similar backgrounds connect. They have supported cultural and awareness initiatives, including Black History Month and Diwali. Involvement in staff training, the Transformative Education Seminar Series, and Collective for Racial Justice Network further demonstrate the leads’ contribution to systemic change and inclusive education.
Significant progress has been made in the recent years in developing Academic Lead Student Support role. Increasing visibility has been a central focus, with the creation of web pages helping to signpost students to support. The wide range of concerns raised by students underscores the importance of the role, whether for emotional support or practical assistance in navigating university systems. The role is now an integral part of the University’s support framework, and efforts will continue into the next academic year to further enhance visibility and reach more students in need.