We acknowledge that there is no single factor that will close the awarding gap, but the toolkit provides a range of student and research-informed ideas, initiatives and examples that can be used in a variety of contexts across Lancaster university to reduce the awarding gap in a phased, responsive and flexible manner. The toolkit recommendations speak to the wider institutional concerns of acknowledging intersecting forms of marginalisation (particularly in relation to gender, race, disabilities and sexualities) and the need to respond to the concerns of increasingly diverse student bodies.
We expect that the findings of this report will serve to initiate a more comprehensive study that will enable LU to provide relevant and wide-ranging institutional support to enable the closing of the awarding gap. We also hope that these recommendations would form the basis for further dialogue, reflection and research into additional ways in which LU could close the awarding and experience gaps.