Widening Access and Participation

The Widening Access and Participation Team work with a range of stakeholders, including schools and colleges, parents and carers and other like-minded organisations to ensure that entry to university is based on merit and academic potential, and not social background, ethnicity, gender or other irrelevant factors.

Much of their activity is focused on North East students in local schools and colleges. They also work with national partners and targeted schools and colleges. Many of their activities include using current Durham students, so students can get a real understanding directly from those who have experience. Activities are aimed at providing information, advice (and if necessary) the encouragement to young people to become higher education students and will deliver a taste of the amazing opportunities and experiences of being a Durham University student.

As well as actively supporting the implementation of the Access and Participation Plan they also:

• Work nationally to encourage gifted applicants from underrepresented groups to apply to and enrol at Durham;
• Form regional and national partnerships with schools, colleges and other relevant institutions and organisations;
• Work with young people with little or no aspiration of higher education to encourage them to fulfil their potential.

They deliver this through activities such as:

• Supported Progression Scheme
• Sutton Trust Summer Schools
• Space to Explore Potential (STEP)
• Schools Engagement Activity

If you have any questions or need to get in touch please email: access.participation@durham.ac.uk