Innovative partnerships
A partnership with schools in which students who fulfill attendance and achievement criteria will be granted partial waivers at the university
A collaboration between a university and credit union that enables members to earn a degree at more affordable prices
Progress before admission
A short MBA course, available to students enrolled in the final year of high school, that counts towards a degree
A set of four creative programs, such as the production
of a film, in which high school students can participate
An admissions team that enables high school students to explore academic pathways and to submit applications in the school classroom
Participation before admission
A program in which local high school students can help design, program, and construct miniaturized satellites that are then launched into space.
An outreach program in which remote students at every level, including kindergarten, participate in a coordinated but customized set of inspiring, interactive activities at the university
Engaging information
An interactive web tool that enables prospective students to experience the university virtually and playfully
An automated platform that helps track the progress
of students and customize advice to these students
Ohio State University Marion: GoBuck$ program
A partnership with schools in which students who fulfill attendance and achievement criteria will be granted partial waivers at the university
Ohio State University Marion introduced a campaign, called the GoBuck$ program, in 2010. If local school students fulfill attendance and achievement criteria at their school, they can receive up to $50 every three months—and thus up to $3,300 of tuition waivers across their schooling. The program is designed to instil exemplary study habits in the first year of schooling. Initially, the George and Dorothy Alber Scholarship endowment funded this program. Nowadays, interested members of the public can also fund this program
Further reading
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Hanover Research (2022). Benchmarking analysis: Strategic external partnerships
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https://osumarion.osu.edu/alumni-initiatives/initiatives/education/gobuck$.html
Boise University: CapEd Collaboration
A collaboration between a university and credit union that enables members to earn a degree at more affordable prices
Boise State University in Idaho collaborate with a credit union, called CapEd, to attract students at a discounted fee. Specifically, if credit union members pay a monthly subscription rate, they can enrol in any online college courses. To illustrate, in 2018, if these students pay $425 a month, they can enrol in 6 credits during each term. If they pay $550 a month, they can enrol in 9 credit points during each term.
This opportunity enables members to earn a college degree or certificate at a rate that is appreciably lower than standard fees—and thus attracts students who could not afford to study otherwise. The program is called the Boise State Passport to Education
References
University of Bradford: Mini MBAs
A short MBA course, available to students enrolled in
the final year of high school, that counts towards a degree
Students enrolled in the final year of high school can six interactive workshops, each lasting an hour, across six weeks, in which they learn about business innovation. Topics include data analytics, AI, managerial decision making, fintech, entrepreneurial skills, business ethics, and personal branding. During the final session, students are granted advice and support on how to thrive during admissions interviews. If students attend each session and later enrol in a business or management course at the university, they receive some credit towards this course.
Further reading
Murdoch University: A creative arts outreach initiative
A set of four creative programs, such as the production
of a film, in which high school students can participate
Murdoch university designed four creative programs that high school students could attend. For example, high school students could
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participate in the production of a film; they might offer technical assistance or even act in a scene
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attend workshops by industry professionals in journalism, public relations, radio, games, and sound production industries
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participate in the development of computer games, in collaboration with industry professionals and university tutors
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visit a professional theatre space at a university campus to explore theatrical design, production, and performance and to volunteer
During or after these programs, the high school students
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interact with both industry professionals and university staff or students
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complete tasks or develop portfolios that increase the likelihood of admission
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received additional information about which courses are available and how to apply
The programs increased the likelihood these high school students would discuss university with parents, teachers, and friends as well as augmented their interest in university. This consequence was pleasing, especially because the program was primarily directed towards schools in which the socioeconomic status was low. About 40% of the children reported that neither parent had attended university.
Further reading
Geagea, A., Vernon, L., & MacCallum, J. (2019). Creative arts outreach initiatives in schools: effects on university expectations and discussions about university with important socialisers. Higher Education Research & Development, 38(2), 250-265.
Arapahoe Community College: ACC Connect
An admissions team that enables high school students to explore academic pathways and to submit applications in the school classroom
Many students, especially from marginalized communities, experience uncertainty about tertiary education. They are not sure of which courses to pursue, how to enrol, how to arrange financial aid, and how to access other necessary services, such as disability services. Because of this uncertainty, many students do not pursue tertiary education at all.
To address this problem, ACC Connect is a program, introduced by Arapahoe Community College, in which the admissions office enable students to address these concerns and complete relevant forms in the high school. The admissions team present relevant, engaging information, to junior high school students, about the possibilities that students can pursue in tertiary education. The team present monthly sessions to senior students, helping these individuals choose and enrol in tertiary education. For example, the team might help students determine which courses are relevant to their abilities and interests, choose an academic pathway, understand the financial and other services they could utilize—such as their ACC Connect Scholars Program—and so forth.
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Further reading
Griffith University: STEM Program About Space Exploration or the SPASE Mission
A program in which local high school students can help design, program, and construct miniaturized satellites that are then launched into space.
In this program, local high school students are granted opportunities to help develop and launch a satellite into space. The students work alongside academics from Griffith University—especially researchers who specialize in Information and Communications Technology as well as Advanced Manufacturing—and also specialists in the space industry, including Gilmour Space Technologies, Deloitte, and Airbus. In particular, students contribute to the design, programming, and construction of CubeSats, a class of miniaturized satellites. This CubeSats will be attached to an Eris rocket and launched 400 km above the Earth from a spaceport in Northern Queensland—in a mission named Platypus.
This project is designed to encourage students to consider the exciting and rewarding fields of STEM, to impart knowledge about the burgeoning aerospace industry, and to inspire students to embrace risks and pursue their aspirations. During the program, students learn about software development, systems engineering, project management, sensor payloads, 3D printing, and careers in the space industry. They learn how images of cloud cover, recorded by the satellite, are subjected to artificial intelligence. The artificial intelligence generates models that scientists can use to help predict natural disasters and prepare to manage these disasters.
Future reading
This new article about the program
University of New South Wales: ASPIRE
An outreach program in which remote students at every level,
including kindergarten, participate in a coordinated but
customized set of inspiring, interactive activities at the university
The University of New South Wales launched ASPIRE in 2007, an outreach program that is designed to inspire students whose families live in regional communities or earn a limited income to pursue university. Specifically, the coordinators of this program utilized many data sources to identify schools most in need. Students at over 50 partner schools, at every level, from kindergarten to Year 12, participate in this program. The program comprises a range of interactive, experiential, and engaging activities at the university and at their schools—from launching rockets and programming computers to discussions about scholarships and other opportunities as well as social activities with students from around the state.
All these activities are compatible with the developmental needs of each student and customized to the curriculum and priorities of each partner school. These activities are carefully designed to instill confidence in students, to help students experience a sense of belonging and legitimacy at the university, to gradually enhance the academic capabilities of students over time, and address barriers that might impede their access to university. For example, the program, funded by a range of bodies, helps students travel from remote locations to the university campus—a trip that few of these families could otherwise afford. Research indicates the program is effective, significantly increasing the likelihood that students eventually enroll at university
Further reading
An evaluation and summary of this program and a similar program at the University of Western Australia
Auckland University: Your World Your Way
An interactive web tool that enables prospective students
to experience the university virtually and playfully
An interactive web tool that enables prospective students to experience the university virtually and playfully
Auckland University, in collaboration with a creative agency, Method Studios, developed a virtual world in which prospective students could explore many of the facilities and features of the university. Although many institutions have developed similar online tours of the university, this platform contains many distinct features.
On one page, users are exposed to a huge, animated map of the campus, similar to the accompanying picture. When users click their mouse on specific landmarks, they map zooms in on this location and presents some engaging information. This information may include
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a video that showcases some activity
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other relevant links—such as links to relevant webpages, application forms, and other details
On another page, users are exposed to another set of animations, in which they can learn about other resources, options, and facilities, such as information about which courses to study, how to enroll, key dates, scholarship information, and accommodation options.
Users can also customize the features of this platform to suit their needs. In particular, they complete a fun exercise—like a visual survey—that assesses their nationality, culture or community, future plans, goals, interests, passions, and values. Their answers to this survey affects the videos and information that will appear.
Further information
Arizona State University: e-Advisor
An automated platform that helps track the progress
of students and customize advice to these students
e-Advisor, a platform that Arizona State University has introduced, comprises a set of automated tools to facilitate the development of their students. For example, one of the tools, called me3, is an online game or quiz that helps potential students, current students, or their parents identify suitable courses. The game determines the broader interests of students, such as the degree to which they like to help people, analyze data, explore ideas, or manipulate objects, and then identifies the courses that are most relevant to these interests. Specifically,
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users choose which of two pictures they prefer, such as a photograph of a lab or a meeting, and then complete this task many times
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users then receive more information about various roles that are relevant to their interests, such as which courses they should choose
The platform also includes many other tools and games to facilitate progress and development. For example
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one game helps students decide which campus is suited to their needs
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another tool helps students decide which majors they should choose
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one tool, called a pathway trackers, help students clarify their progress towards their degree, specifying which units they should complete to attain their degree
Further reading