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CloseIndependent Research Using HEAT Data
The HEAT Activity Delivery Dataset is supporting a growing range of research projects designed to deepen understanding of outreach activity across the higher education sector.
- Research & Evidence
- Independent Research Using HEAT Data
This page showcases the work of approved researchers who are using the dataset to generate new insights, evaluate practice, and contribute to sector-wide learning.
Each project summary has been provided by the researcher and includes a short abstract and contact details. New applicants may wish to contact current researchers to learn more, collaborate, or connect around shared interests.
Current Projects
Widening Participation in HE: A Comprehensive Analysis of Its Impact on Pre- and Post-16 Outcomes
Lead Researcher: Dr Greta Morando, University of Sheffield
Status: Active
Contact: g.morando@sheffield.ac.uk
Abstract:
Greta’s research explores how outreach and widening participation activities—such as school visits, university open days, and other initiatives designed to encourage young people from underrepresented backgrounds to consider higher education—influence their education pathways and later entry into the labour market.
The HEAT Activity Dataset shows which schools each university works with and how far their outreach efforts extend geographically. This research combines the HEAT data with several other large datasets, including Understanding Society, the National Pupil Database, and information on how much universities expect to spend on outreach through their Access and Participation Plans. By bringing these sources together and analysing them with robust statistical techniques, Greta aims to trace how outreach spending and contextualised admissions policies relate to young people’s aspirations, behaviour, exam results at Key Stages 4 and 5, and their eventual progression into higher education. The project is funded through an Understanding Society Fellowship, and findings will be shared through academic publications and a dedicated report for HEAT, showing how its data has helped us shed light on the reach and impact of these important activities.
Addressing Inequalities in Higher Education: Evidence From England’s Widening Participation Policy
Lead Researcher: Lorenzo Germinetti, Queen Mary University of London
Status: Active
Contact: l.germinetti@qmul.ac.uk
Abstract:
This project examines whether government funding for widening participation has helped reduce inequalities in access to higher education. Since 1999, universities in England have received funding to increase the intake of students from areas with low historical participation in higher education (POLAR quintiles 1 and 2). The research explores whether universities responded to these incentives by offering and targeting outreach activities, and whether students in targeted areas experienced better outcomes — such as higher school attainment, increased participation in higher education, entry to more selective institutions, and improved earnings.
The HEAT Activity Dataset plays a crucial role in this analysis. It provides unique information about the outreach delivered by HEAT members, which is not available in national administrative data. By securely linking HEAT data with the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset in the ONS Secure Research Service, the project will be able to:
- Describe the types and timing of outreach activities provided to different schools.
- Assess whether schools with more students from low‑participation areas were more likely to receive outreach.
- Evaluate whether outreach contributed to differences in student outcomes.
University Outreach, Regional Inequality, and the Effectiveness of Access and Participation Plans
Lead Researcher: Laura Harvey, Loughborough University / CHERPPS, UEA
Status: Active
Contact: Laura.A.Harvey@uea.ac.uk / l.a.harvey@lboro.ac.uk
Abstract:
This research investigates how universities engage with schools in their local communities and how this outreach supports the commitments set out in Access and Participation Plans (APP). Although higher education institutions invest heavily in widening participation outreach, evidence on the effectiveness of this work remains limited. This project will help strengthen that evidence base by examining three questions: how outreach intensity and type vary across regions; how these patterns compare with financial commitments in Access Agreements and APPs; and what impact outreach has on access to higher education.
A central component of the study is the use of the HEAT Activity Dataset, which provides detailed, geographically varied information on university outreach activity. HEAT data enables this project to map schools’ exposure to outreach across the country and to link this exposure with institutional spending commitments. This allows for an analysis of how spend per pupil and engagement levels differ by region and institution type—information not available from APPs alone. The dataset also supports aggregate-level analysis of whether and how outreach influences students’ progression into higher education.
The project forms part of a broader research agenda, supported by British Academy Grant SRG2021\210722 examining the effectiveness of access agreements and APPs by linking commitments to student‑level outcomes.
Discover more Research & Evidence
Apply to Access HEAT Data
Explore how researchers and third-party organisations can access HEAT’s Activity Delivery Dataset for research purposes.
HEAT Track Impact Reports
Read our annual reports for members and the public, examining the impact of outreach on participants’ educational outcomes.