The University of Nottingham and IntoUniversity are marking a 15 year partnership which has supported more than 22,000 young people across Nottingham to build confidence, explore their ambitions and take their next steps into education.
The successful partnership was celebrated yesterday at IntoUniversity Nottingham West, bringing together young people, families, IntoUniversity staff, University of Nottingham students and staff, schools and local partners to reflect on 15 years of working together.
Since 2011, IntoUniversity and the University of Nottingham have worked alongside young people across the city through a range of academic, mentoring and outreach activities. The partnership brings together IntoUniversity’s long-term support in local communities with the experience, expertise and enthusiasm of University of Nottingham students and staff, creating opportunities for young people to explore what further and Higher Education could mean for them.
As a result of the initiative, 300 young people, who IntoUniversity have worked with in Nottingham, have gone on to become students at the University of Nottingham, while 900 young people who have worked with IntoUniversity centres up and down the country have gone on to become students at the university.
For Emmanuel, discovering what his future could look like started with an after-school Academic Support session at IntoUniversity Nottingham Central in Hyson Green.
Through IntoUniversity, Emmanuel received help with his homework, was matched with a mentor from the University of Nottingham and had the opportunity to apply for and attend a boarding school. Today, he is studying Sports and Business Management at the University of Derby. He said:
“The welcoming and calm classroom environment helped me focus and develop my study skills and gave me lots of opportunities outside of my comfort zone. […] I had a University of Nottingham mentor who helped me with my homework, but also encouraged me to think about my future goals, which was really valuable.”
Across IntoUniversity Nottingham Central, Nottingham East and Nottingham West, young people can access a range of opportunities through the partnership, including:
One example is Primary FOCUS, which gives younger pupils the opportunity to take part in engaging, university-supported learning linked to the curriculum.
University of Nottingham students and staff play an important role in these activities, by hosting trips to the University and volunteering their time to support sessions, sharing their experiences and encouraging young people to think about their futures.
Keiran Hopewell, a PhD student at the University of Nottingham who supported the initiative as a student mentor, said:
“I began my IntoUniversity mentoring journey in 2024 when I began my PhD. I was introduced to a student, who was coming to the end of Year 9; now he has just begun his A-levels! I found the two most rewarding parts of the mentoring experience were the interpersonal relationships I built with my mentee and the staff at IntoUniversity, and the feeling that I was having a tangible, beneficial impact on other people’s lives, that I was giving back. I have built up a strong relationship with my mentee, and I look forward to hearing about his school week every Monday.
“The staff at IntoUniversity are always helpful and treat you as if you were a colleague. Having spent the last seven years at university, it has been great to offer a unique perspective to a student considering university. Additionally, through talking to my mentee, I opened his eyes to the many different courses and access pathways to university that he is now considering.”
Over the past 15 years, the partnership has supported more than 22,000 young people across Nottingham and created thousands of opportunities for young people to experience university and meet people who can help them imagine themselves there.
This includes:
The anniversary celebration was an opportunity to reflect on these achievements, but also on the relationships behind them: the young people and families who have taken part, the IntoUniversity staff who support them over the long term, the schools and communities who work with the centres, and the University of Nottingham students and staff who give their time to support the next generation.
Dr. Rachel Carr, CEO and Co-Founder, IntoUniversity said:
“Our Nottingham centres hold a very special place in IntoUniversity’s history. The University of Nottingham supported us to open our first centres outside London, and 15 years on, our partnership continues to make a real difference to young people across the city. We’re incredibly grateful to the University, its students and staff for the support they have given us over the years, but also to the young people and families who have welcomed us into their communities and made our work possible. It’s a privilege to celebrate what we have achieved together and to look forward to supporting many more young people to explore their ambitions and their futures.”
Professor Katherine Linehan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience at the University of Nottingham, said: “As we celebrate 15 years of partnership with IntoUniversity, we are proud to reflect on the positive impact this collaboration has had on young people across Nottingham.
“Together, we have helped support aspirations, widen access to higher education and create opportunities for students who may otherwise have faced barriers in achieving their goals. IntoUniversity’s work continues to transform lives, and we are delighted to support its mission. We look forward to building on this success and working together to inspire future generations for many years to come.”
Looking ahead, IntoUniversity and the University of Nottingham will continue working together across Nottingham to create opportunities for young people to explore their ambitions, build confidence and progress towards further and Higher Education.
