Evaluation is a contested field. This collection considers the
relationship between evaluation and research, and the ethical and moral
dilemmas raised when evaluating equity and widening participation in
higher education. The growing demands for evidence of impact frame
expectations that we can justify government funding of particular
university-led equity initiatives and understand what works well enough
to ensure that resources are being allocated and used appropriately.
Drawing on the international seminar series they designed and
facilitated over 2014-16, the editors have created a framework of praxis
around contested understandings of access, equity and widening
participation in higher education. They and their authors have produced
an invaluable resource for developing equity in research, evaluation and
practice in higher education.