The Higher Education Funding Council for England has announced a new programme – the National Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP) – to increase participation in higher education across the country.
With national annual funding of £60m, the programme will drive a step change in the progression into higher education of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including members of ethnic minority groups and young men. The programme will launch on 1 January 2017.
Under the scheme, 29 local consortia will receive funding to deliver activities that will foster collaborative outreach in specific local areas where participation in higher education is both low overall, and lower than expected given GCSE attainment levels. These activities will involve higher education providers, schools, colleges and other organisations such as charities and local agencies involved in education, careers and skills.
The University will continue to lead the Southern Universities Network (SUN) encompassing all universities and other higher education providers in Hampshire and Dorset, as well as further education colleges, secondary schools, local authorities and other organisations engaged in education and enterprise.
The SUN builds on the success of the National Networks for Collaborative Outreach (NNCO), a previous scheme launched nearly two years ago which ends this month (December 2016).
Richard Kennett, Southampton’s Director of UK Student Recruitment and Outreach, commented:
The University of Southampton is pleased to continue lead the SUN which will help to manage relationships between schools and colleges and the region’s universities.
The universities in Hampshire and Dorset have an excellent working relationship and the NCOP will help us build on that relationship to continue to work closely together and with schools in our region to raise the aspirations of under-represented groups who will benefit from a university experience to enhance their careers and future prospects.
