Widening Participation
At The University of Manchester we have developed a comprehensive and exciting programme of activities for prospective students and their influencers. This consists of work with primary, secondary and further education students as well as teachers, careers advisers and parents.
Widening Participation is placed prominently in the University's strategic plan, the 'Manchester 2015 Agenda', as one of nine core strategic goals. We aim to be the UK's most accessible research intensive institution by 2015.
Our work is informed by the following aims:
- To promote opportunities for progression to higher education generally, wherever that might be;
- To identify and attract talented students to Manchester from all educational backgrounds.
Our work in Engineering and Physical Sciences is to raise the awareness of Sciences, Maths and Engineering qualifications that can be obtained by doing a degree within our Faculty, not only with young people themselves, but also with parents, teachers, careers guidance workers, mature learners, family, friends and community leaders. By working to raise awareness of, and aspiration to, higher education amongst individuals from underrepresented groups, the University aims to encourage applications from the most gifted and talented individuals regardless of geography, school, socio-economic status or ethnic grouping.
Our activities are targeted so that work is mainly focused with individuals who have the potential to succeed at University, but for a variety of reasons, may not have considered higher education a possibility.