Widening participation in postgraduate study

Penelope Sucharitkul supervised by Luke Windsor

About the student researcher

I'm Penny and I'm a 4th year medical student. I'm from a mixed White/Thai and working-class background, so widening access to postgraduate research was something I was really passionate about. This year I finished my intercalated Masters of Research - the struggle to get funding  opened my eyes to the difficulties of disadvantaged students.

Project overview

I spent the summer collating literature on postgraduate taught and research widening access within the University of Leeds and looked at some of the international solutions to this issue.

I looked at the existing literature and summarised this into a 10,000 word report giving me the chance to write about things I felt were important. I was also given data about PGT and PGR and made independent recommendations for the University to act on. The report details the national solutions in the UK to widening access at PG level, but also includes some international solutions which may have not been previously considered by the literature.

I hope that the report can act as a starting point for the University of Leeds, and other universities. The report highlights the fantastic work of Access to Leeds and the Plus Programme, and is written by a student who came through these routes.

If you would like to read the full report then please contact LITE@leeds.ac.uk to request a copy.