Evaluating the Impact of the UCD New ERA Widening Participation Initiative

This study will be the first quantitative evaluation of the UCD New ERA Widening Participation Initiative. The primary aim of New ERA is to promote and support the participation of students from lower socio-economic groups who, in general, are under-represented in higher education. The Access programme provides secondary-level students from designated disadvantaged schools with supported entry mechanisms to study at University College Dublin and financial support for the duration of their university life, in addition to a host of support services both before and after they join UCD.

The UCD Geary Institute is conducting a two year study evaluating the effectiveness of the New ERA programme across three domains:

(i) increased access from disadvantaged schools,

(ii) first year retention rates,

(iii) overall exam performance.

The specific aims of this study are to quantify the effect of a designated disadvantaged school joining the New ERA access programme on the participation of its students in third-level education; to examine whether the exam performance and retention rates of students in the New ERA programme differ from other UCD students; and, finally, amongst New ERA students, we aim to distinguish those who entered UCD on a lower points threshold than the designated CAO criteria from those who did not.

For more information on the New ERA Programme please click here.

This project is funded under round 1 of the Irish Government's Strategic Innovation Fund.