This autumn, a project in collaboration with The University of Warwick, University College Birmingham and education charity IntoUniversity will launch a new learning centre in one of the UK’s most disadvantaged areas, to help local young people overcome barriers to higher education and professional careers.
IntoUniversity Birmingham East represents an exciting partnership between The University of Warwick, University College Birmingham, and IntoUniversity. The collaboration is driven by a shared commitment to addressing the challenges faced by children growing up facing disadvantage and a belief in the transformative power of education.
Paul Blagburn, Head of Widening Participation at The University of Warwick said, “The launch of this new centre in the city marks a landmark moment to advance social mobility. We have a proud record of working with national charity IntoUniversity, through our existing centre in Coventry, where we have just celebrated its five-year anniversary.
“This new innovation will harness life-changing opportunities for young people to consider their future and builds on the Warwick-UCB partnership vision to support change in the region.”
East Birmingham has the highest levels of deprivation in the city, with 61% of the population living in the most deprived decile and 38.8% of children living in absolute poverty.
The learning centre will work closely with local schools, universities, and businesses to provide a comprehensive range of support services, including academic support, pastoral care, one-to-one mentoring, and practical advice, all designed to foster aspiration and ambition for higher education among local students.
Professor Helen Poole, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching, Learning and Digital) at University College Birmingham said: “University College Birmingham is proud to collaborate with IntoUniversity and The University of Warwick. This new learning centre will inspire young people to achieve their potential, providing them with enriched experiences and life-changing opportunities that will drive their successes in life.
“We are proud to be in the heart of Birmingham with a diverse student population, and this project will continue our commitment to ensuring we widen access for all, building a positive impact in the communities we serve.”
IntoUniversity has a proven track record of improving access to and attainment in higher education for students facing disadvantage, and currently supports over 50,000 young people each year at their 43 centres nationwide. 61% of students who attend IntoUniversity centres go on to progress to university, compared with 28% of students from similar backgrounds nationally.
Dr Rachel Carr, Chief Executive and Co-Founder of IntoUniversity, says: “We are delighted to be opening this new centre in East Birmingham, alongside our partners The University of Warwick and University College Birmingham. We thank our university partners for making this new centre possible.”
Birmingham is one of the twenty local authorities in the UK where residents are most likely to experience destitution (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2022). Notably, 43% of the city’s population lives in the 10% most deprived areas nationally (Birmingham City Council, 2022).
Poverty significantly impacts educational attainment, with students facing disadvantage falling behind their peers at every educational stage. In Birmingham, the educational attainment gap is stark; young people facing disadvantage are almost 13.6 months behind their more advantaged peers by the end of secondary school (Education Policy Institute, 2022). Furthermore, there are vast disparities in higher education progression rates within the city, ranging from 92.8% in central Birmingham to just 10.3% in the east (Office for Students, 2023).
