The developmental education model in the United Kingdom: Access programs

Abstract

A review of programs with similarities to developmental education in the U.K. provides a different perspective which they call access programs. Higher education in the U.K. is coordinated, funded, and evaluated by the national government. Two organizations that are resources in the field of access programs are the European Access Network (2004) and the Institute for Access Studies (2003). Rather than using the U.S. term of developmental education, the U.K. approach of access program focuses on widening participation in higher education by historically-underrepresented student groups. In addition to similar concern for academically-underprepared students, the U.K. access program scope includes older students, students returning to education, displaced workers, and other demographic groups who whom college has not been common.