250,000 Students Reached: Join us in the next chapter
Hannah Purkiss, our Chief Operating Officer, reflects on the 250,000th student milestone, how far IntoUniversity has come, and what lies ahead.
This year, IntoUniversity is celebrating an extraordinary milestone as we’ve now supported 250,000 students across the UK. It is a moment to reflect with pride on what two decades of dedication, collaboration and belief in young people can achieve.
From our very first centre to the 46 we now operate across England and Scotland, this milestone represents more than just numbers. It is the stories of individual students: the Primary student who found the confidence to present in front of their peers at a graduation ceremony, the young person who took part in an internship programme that shaped their career ambitions or the student that achieved their place at university which they had previously thought was out of reach.
These journeys have been made possible by the thousands of staff, volunteers, university partners and funders who have supported us on our journey. To everyone who has been part of the IntoUniversity community, thank you. Your commitment has created real and lasting change.
As we celebrate, we’re also asking ourselves an important question: how can we deepen our impact, reach young people in new ways, and ensure our work continues to evolve for the next generation of learners?
What’s Next for IntoUniversity?
Reaching 250,000 students isn’t the end of our journey, it’s a milestone that marks how far we’ve come and where we’re headed next. Having also reached our target of supporting 60,000 young people per year ahead of schedule, we’re now looking beyond our current business plan, which concludes in 2027, to plan the next stage of our growth and impact.
The years ahead will focus on strengthening the foundations that got us here.
We’ll keep exploring new ways to support learning and development, building on projects like our Adult and Family Learning pilot with parents and carers, and our metacognition research with Anglia Ruskin University, The Big Thinking Project, funded by the Office for Students, to better understand what helps students thrive.
We are committed to reaching more communities across the UK, with a continued focus on areas where our support can make the greatest difference. Every new partnership and centre will strengthen our relationships with students, families and local networks, helping us to grow in a way that is both meaningful and sustainable.
Through collaboration, an evidence-led approach and a shared belief in the potential of every young person, we will continue to open doors to opportunity and create lasting change for students and families nationwide.
As we look to the future, our focus is on deepening the connections with students, families and communities. We are building a future where every student, and every family, has the resources, relationships, and support to achieve their aspirations.
Reaching 250,000 students is a moment to celebrate how far we’ve come and to look ahead with optimism to the next 250,000 journeys.
A huge thank you to everyone who has been part of our story so far. We could not have achieved this milestone without the commitment and encouragement we have received since 2002. We hope you will continue to support us as we learn and reimagine what’s possible for young people across the UK.