Lynda Brady

Widening access to higher education is more than a policy issue; it's a moral imperative that shapes the future of our society. This understanding is central to the mission of Edge Hill University, and its Pro Vice Chancellor for Student Experience, Lynda Brady.

Lynda sat down with Max Webber, Co-Host of The Interview, to share her insights on topics including the value of ​​student-centred campus design and the importance of ongoing support after orientation. 

Lynda's Journey

Max: Let’s start with a brief introduction to yourself and your institution…

I’m Lynda Brady and I'm Pro Vice Chancellor for Student Experience and University Secretary at Edge Hill University. I’ve been here for 10 years now, and prior to that, I spent 12 years at the Open University. I started my career as an academic at John Moores University, where I became head of the legal practice course. Edge Hill University was founded in 1885 in the city of Liverpool. We were the first nondenominational institution in the country where women could train to teach. So our roots are very much based in widening access and opportunity, which still pervades our values today. We have a strong commitment to the public sector – although we originally specialised in teacher training, we now have 15,000 students across education, health, social care, and medicine. Most of our students are undergraduates, and approximately 70% of them come from marginalised backgrounds. We have a really beautiful campus, and it regularly ranks as one of the top five campuses in the country. But we are not as well known as we'd like to be, so we’re working hard to grow our reputation.

Max: Widening access to education is one of Edge Hill’s key missions. What measures have you taken to try and create a sense of inclusion for students of all backgrounds?

We are a local institution, so we attract a lot of students from the local community in the Northwest of England. That region is quite diverse and contains some areas of deprivation, so many of our students and families are from backgrounds where going on to higher education isn’t the norm. So that's where we start from, and we’re working hard to become an institution that is suitable for students from non-traditional backgrounds. If we want students to stay here and grow with us, then they need to feel like they belong. We understand that there are not many 18-year-olds who dream of coming to Edge Hill, so it’s really important for us to create a sustainable institution where people want to come and want to stay. Most importantly, we strive to create an attractive environment; we’re not in the city, so our campus needs to be a place where people want to spend time. We’ve had some success on that front – when people come to open days, we have a very, very high conversion rate, and part of that is about how our campus feels. If students don’t actually feel like they could belong here, and be a part of the community, then they just won’t come. 

It’s more than just a place to study – it’s a place where people can socialise, take part in events, and build community. The other side of the conversation is about culture. The role of all of our colleagues in supporting our students is absolutely vital. For example, during staff induction, I always do a talk about the centrality of every single member of staff in supporting students. Our Students Union holds annual awards allowing students to nominate staff who've made a difference to their experience. That’s not just faculty members, but all members of staff, from cleaners to caterers. Those people are the glue that holds the university together. Community means that we're all here to support one another – both staff and students. 

Max: Getting orientation right is crucial for student outcomes. How do you make sure to set your students up for success?

There are two really important factors. The first is helping students to figure out if we’re the right institution for them. So we do a lot of work to encourage students to come here and see the university before they make a decision. We also support them to do that financially – we’re not in a big city like Manchester or Liverpool, so prospective students might need to go out of their way to get here. The second is that, before students arrive, we have a Getting Started initiative – it's a sort of comms campaign for all of our incoming students, and it drip-feeds them key information over the weeks before they arrive. That includes information about things like wellbeing services, so if students need support after they arrive, they will know where to find it. 

Max: Students have many demands on their time, and it can be difficult to keep them engaged. How do you make sure they remain bought into these key topics?

We do have a very thoughtful induction framework, but it’s important to continue past the first few weeks. We put a lot of work into reinforcing that information throughout the year. Though we put a lot of focus on wellbeing provision, we also recognise that some students who might benefit from that provision aren’t accessing it. For example, our data shows that young men are less likely to access wellbeing services. We invite students to sign up to be part of our Thrive program, which has three main components: online workshops with students to talk about all our support services; social events to bring students together and create relationships; and one-to-one coaching with a member of staff. So if a student has an issue, they can reach out to their personal tutor as well as the traditional support services.

Max: What advice would you give to anyone who’s considering a career in higher education?

Feel the fear, and do it anyway. If you don't put yourself outside of your comfort zone and take risks, you will never test yourself. The greatest sense of achievement comes from overcoming a new challenge.