A network founded by the University of Warwick, bringing together widening participation professionals from 33 institutions, has won bronze in the Collaboration of the Year category at the national HEIST Awards.
What started as a free online space for widening participation professionals to share ideas has grown into a thriving community supporting collaboration across the higher education sector.
Now, the Forum, founded in 2019 by Amanda Lang and Sarah Fullwood at the University of Warwick, has been named a winner of the Collaboration of the Year category at the National Havas People HEIST Awards.
The Forum was created to give widening participation practitioners a welcoming space to share ideas, discuss challenges and learn from one another. It now brings together 130 members from across the Midlands, providing free peer-led support for professionals working to widen access to higher education.
Amanda Lang, Director of Student Experience - Engineering at the University of Warwick, said: "To see the Forum recognised in this way is incredibly special. Winning this bronze award is wonderful recognition, but what matters most to me is the community we've built.
"It was created as a welcoming space where colleagues could share ideas, learn from one another and support each other. It has grown because people have given their time and expertise so generously, driven by a shared commitment to improving opportunities for widening participation students.
"It's a privilege to be part of something shaped by kindness, generosity and collaboration, and I'm grateful to everyone who has helped build it over the last seven years."
Originally launched as an online network, the Forum has continued to evolve. At the end of 2024, Amanda opened up the partnership, and the Forum is now run collaboratively by the University of Warwick, Arden University, Nottingham Trent University, and SIRM College.
Oliver Rossetti, Outreach Manager at Arden University, said: "Co-leading the WP Midlands Forum has opened up a wealth of expertise across the region, giving colleagues working in widening participation the opportunity to learn from, collaborate with and support one another.
"The Forum embodies the spirit of widening participation and our shared commitment to ensuring education is accessible to all, benefiting not only our institutions but also the staff and learners at the heart of our work."
Liz Hutton-Brownhall, Head of Access, Participation & EDI at SIRM, added: "Our shortlisting for the HEIST26 Collaboration of the Year Award reflects the strength of genuine partnership working. Co-leading the WP Midlands Forum demonstrates how institutions can move beyond competition to collaborate for the benefit of learners.
"Together, we are creating a regional community of practice that is building capability, sharing innovation and strengthening widening participation across the Midlands, and represent our respective differences, challenges and provide different perspectives on a regional level."
Since launching, members have co-created and delivered 15 events, with partner institutions generously hosting sessions that encourage discussion, innovation and the sharing of best practice. Alongside three in-person events each year, the Forum also hosts regular online meet-ups, ensuring widening participation professionals can continue learning from one another at no cost.
Paul Blagburn, Head of Widening Participation and Social Mobility at the University of Warwick, said: "The WP Midlands Forum is a brilliant example of what can be achieved when institutions come together with a shared purpose. By creating an open and supportive network, Amanda and her colleagues have built something that benefits practitioners across the sector and, ultimately, the students we're all working to support.
"To see the Forum recognised nationally is thoroughly deserved and reflects the commitment, generosity and collaborative spirit of everyone involved."
The National Havas People HEIST Awards celebrate excellence and innovation across higher education marketing, student recruitment and widening participation. The winners were announced at a gala ceremony at the Royal Armouries in Leeds on 9 July 2026.
