IBS Access and Participation Statement

©2026 International Business School

Document titleAccess and Participation Statement 2026-27
VersionV1.0
Approved by (Oversight Committee)Academic Board
Policy lead (Staff member accountable)Director
Date of original approvalOctober 2024
Date of last reviewApril 2026
Changes made at the last review:Minor editorial changes (April 2026)
Date effective fromApril 2026
Date of next reviewMarch 2027
Related IBS policies
IBS Strategic Plan
IBS Equality and Diversity Policy
IBS Admissions Policy
External Reference Points
 1. Qualifi Policies and Procedures: https://qualifi.net/policies-and-procedures/ | 2. Regulatory Framework for Higher Education in England: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/regulatory-framework-for-higher-education-in-england/ | 3. The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA): UK Quality Code for Higher Education (2024) | 4. Equality Act 2010: Equality Act 2010 (legislation.gov.uk) | 5. Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA): https://www.hesa.ac.uk/

International Business School Access and Participation Statement 2026-27

  1. Purpose
    1. To provide an access and participation statement that supports International Business School (IBS) strategic aim, as detailed in IBS Strategic Plan 2026-30 together with our Equality and Diversity Policy, of widening access to higher education and supporting students to progress and achieve at their chosen programme of study.
    1. To ensure that IBS Access and Participation Statement meets the requirements of Office for Students (OfS) Regulatory Framework Condition A2 and Higher Education and Research Act (HERA) 2017 for approval of access and participation statements.

2.     Background

  • The Office for Students (OfS) requires, as a part of its initial and on-going conditions for registration, that all higher education providers produce either an Access and Participation Statement or an Access and Participation Plan. Since IBS is to be registered with the OfS for the approved category for fee charges up to the basic fee amount, an Access and Participation Statement is appropriate.
    • For the 2025-26 academic year, students of IBS are enrolled as students of an appropriate programme awarding institution (QUALIFI)1. As such, IBS is subject to QUALIFI’s approach to access and participation, as detailed in their respective Access and Participation Plans, as well as IBS’s own Access and Participation Statement. IBS has published its Access and Participation Statement on its website and reviews the Statement on an annual basis.

3.     General Statement

  • IBS is committed to recruiting and supporting students from all backgrounds including under-represented groups to facilitate them to meet their education needs and career aspirations.
    • At present, IBS runs a small range of higher education programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels (Level 3 to Level 7). IBS is a Qualifi approved centre. IBS’ higher education programmes of study are delivered in partnership with other higher education providers through intermediary arrangements with Qualifi and its subsidiary Chestnut Education Group. Students completing their taught modules at the IBS progress to relevant degrees awarded by partner universities including University of Central Lancashire, Anglia Ruskin University, University of Wolverhampton.
    • IBS recruits and admits students from the UK and abroad while aiming to target students around its main geographical locations in North of England following OfS recognition. We aim to provide access to HE to students living in areas of relatively low higher education participation, low household income, and socio-economic status. Many of our students are mature (over 25 years of age), are from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, speak English as an additional language, and have been away from education for significant periods of time.
    • We will continue to recruit students through a wide range of geographies and backgrounds and expect to maintain the profile of the students we currently have but expand our portfolio of taught programmes during 2026/27 and will do so again in 2027/28. These new programmes expand the range of study options available to prospective students and provide additional further study options for our existing students and graduates, helping IBS to fulfil its higher education mission.
    • IBS admits students who wish to undertake a programme of study offered by IBS prospective students through a fair and transparent admissions process, and who are able to demonstrate that they meet the requisite entry requirements, through either formal qualifications or recognised life and work experiences, or through recognition of prior certificated learning at Level 4/5 in the UK Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ).

4.     IBS Strategic Goals 2026-30

  • IBS Strategic Plan 2026-2030 has identified three strategic goals as follows:
    • Student Outcomes that lead to well paid jobs
    • Growth that serves our communities
    • Provide the highest quality provision.
    • Widening participation and access to higher education studies is of fundamental importance to helping achieve IBS’s strategic goals.
    • IBS takes an inclusive approach to recruiting and supporting individuals and groups of individuals with protected characteristics (as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

5.       Access and Participation Objectives

(A) Areas seeking to address

  • The areas of access and participation IBS seeks to address are informed by the following principles:
    • To provide an opportunity for those who have been out of education for a significant period and wish to return to study.
    • To provide an opportunity for those who may not in the past have had the confidence to undertake studies at higher education level.
    • To enhance everyone’s personal confidence through success and achievement, underpinned by a supportive learning environment.
    • To provide a welcoming and secure environment in which equality of opportunity, diversity of backgrounds, and rich experiences are valued.
    • To help everyone identify and realize their career aspirations through diverse means of employment and/or further study.
    • IBS’s main focus is to recruit and admit students from a wide range of backgrounds where engagement with higher education is or has been underrepresented. Our campus location in Manchester, together with our recruitment from the local geographical areas, enable IBS to achieve its stated aims for widening access and participation in higher education. We welcome prospective students who do not hold formal qualification requirements who are able to demonstrate that they can benefit from higher education, are committed to study, and can evidence relevant life and work experiences together with determination and motivation to study.

(B) Ambition and Strategy

  • IBS aims to recruit and admit individuals to higher education from a wide range of different under-represented groups. These include the following groups, many of which are intersectional:
    • People who are socio-economically under-privileged
    • People from neighbourhoods underserved by higher education
    • People minoritized on the basis of race and ethnicity and underrepresented in HE
    • Mature learners.
    • People with caring responsibilities and/or other commitments that may restrict their access to HE
    • Our student profile through 2024-2026 already demonstrates that we have been successful in meeting our widening participation aims. IBS is committed to maintaining its success at access and participation and welcomes all individuals from under-represented groups in higher education.
    • We will approach recruitment and selection for admission to higher education through contacts with and advertising in local communities. Furthermore, many of our students come to us through recommendations from our past and current students. Community based referrals have been and will continue to be a vital aspect of our strategic approach to reach out to the highly diverse and distinct communities that more conventional and traditional institutions of higher education find difficulty in contacting.
    • IBS monitors and provides student data as required by external regulatory bodies.

(C) Activities and Support for Students

  • IBS provides support and encouragement to individuals enquiring about higher education study from first point of contact through to being a student at IBS. Our approach is to invite prospective students for informal discussion before going through a more formal application and interview process. Some applicants lack initial confidence in their abilities, and we aim to assure them that if they have the required formal qualifications, which may have been obtained some years ago, or relevant life and work experiences, we will support them in their studies. When invited into IBS for informal discussion, prospective students are offered the opportunity to meet existing students to ask them about their experiences.
    • Upon commencement of their studies at IBS, student support is offered through a full induction with the opportunity to meet the staff at IBS, including their Student Success Tutor, teaching, and professional services staff. We provide academic, welfare and pastoral support.
    • At first-degree level, IBS is to offer four-year programmes, with an integrated foundation year. The foundation year is specifically designed to support students into higher education, with a focus on (i) developing the key skills needed for successful study in HE, (ii) refreshing and embedding the foundational knowledge of their chosen field of study, and (iii) supporting students to develop the soft skills needed for graduate-level employment. Early modules are supported by experienced study skills lecturers, alongside subject-specialist lecturers.
    • The foundation year programme is to be led by an Associate Dean whose job is to ensure that students have a support transition into UK HE.
    • Throughout the programmes of study, specialist Programme Leaders at each level of study are responsible for coordinating students’ academic support throughout their studies. Study Skills Lecturers, Student Success Tutors and Librarians provide one to one academic support throughout their studies, the Student Welfare and Wellbeing Team provide pastoral support, and the Careers and Engagement Team supports students towards their graduate outcomes.
  • Curriculum, learning materials, assessment and classroom teaching is designed at each level to build on the previous level, with a particular focus on valuing students’ lived experience, on offering accessibility and developing the academic and professional skills our particular cohort requires, and on building students’ confidence over time.
  • Employability skills are developed throughout the programmes.

6.     Monitoring, review and approval

  • IBS Access and Participation Statement is considered by Academic Board which is attended by external independent board members and senior academic staff.
    • The Statement is reviewed on an annual basis and may be amended by IBS at any time. Any amendments and revisions will be approved by Academic Board and the approved revised document made available on IBS’s website and its Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
    • The Access and Participation statement will be monitored on an annual basis by Academic Board.

7.     Data Protection and Confidentiality

  • IBS is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office as a Data Controller. Details of the School’s registration are published on the Information Commissioners website. IBS as a Data Controller shall implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure that processing of personal information is performed in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR) and under the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).

8.     Alternative Format

  • This document can be provided in alternative formats (including large print, audio and electronic) upon request. For further information, or to make a request, please contact the Admin Office at admin@theibs.uk.