IntoUniversity Craigmillar opened in April 2021, providing additional educational support to young people aged 7–18 living in an area traditionally associated with social deprivation. Image IntoUniversity Craigmillar The establishment of the new learning centre in Craigmillar to respond to educational disadvantage and improve access to higher education and training and is a ground-breaking collaboration between the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow and education charity IntoUniversity. It is one of three new centres to be established in Scotland through the partnership, with two more based in Glasgow. Support for young people is provided through free after-school academic tuition, mentoring with university students and local professionals, in-school aspiration-raising workshops and work experience opportunities. The centre is inclusive of all academic abilities and aims to help young people to achieve a university/college place or another positive destination. The centre is managed day-to-day by IntoUniversity, who currently run 35 centres across England and Scotland. 71% of school leavers who attended existing IntoUniversity centres in 2020 went on to progress to university, compared with 26% of students from similar backgrounds nationally. It has been amazing to be in Craigmillar and set up the IntoUniversity centre this year. Since opening we have been able to connect and work in partnership with 5 local primary schools and 2 secondary schools delivering our FOCUS programmes, as well as delivering our weekly Academic Support sessions to 71 students. We have been welcomed into the local area and connected with local community groups including being part of the Summer Community fair. The fair was a fantastic opportunity to meet families and communities in Craigmillar and introduce IntoUniversity. Overall, an exciting start to IntoUniversity Craigmillar. Kim Hardie, IntoUniversity Craigmillar Centre Leader In the first term of opening (May-June 2021), IntoUniversity Craigmillar supported 516 students across all programmes. The centre aims to support 1,000 students per year by 2024. A total of £4.3 million has been raised by the universities and IntoUniversity since September 2019 to fund a pilot period of five years. The University of Edinburgh will continue to be involved in the years to come, helping to connect young people who may never have dreamed of going to university with a world leading Higher Education Institution. Both undergraduate and postgraduate students from the University are also helping to deliver a mentoring programme, with six pairings started so far. Based close to the BioQuarter campus, the new centre complements existing University community engagement activities in Craigmillar, including the award-winning Edinburgh BioQuarter community science engagement project. The Centre is working to embed itself in the local area through attendance at community events like Craigmillar Festival. Watch the IntoUniversity launch video How this project contributes to our Community Plan Commitment 6: Work with local partners, IntoUniversity and the University of Glasgow to establish a new learning centre in Craigmillar in 2021. The centre will respond to educational disadvantage and poverty, and will foster aspiration and improve access to higher education and training. Find out more IntoUniversity Craigmillar Read our Community Plan This article was published on 2024-07-22
