The first ever Aimhigher Week, a new drive from the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) to inspire, motivate and encourage youngsters to consider Higher Education as a path to reaching life goals was launched today
08 June 2009
Aimhigher Week looks to raise aspirations of 14 to 16 year olds by engaging them in university and college activities across a range of subjects from robotics and law to theatre production and sports science. Thanks to initiatives such as Aimhigher, record numbers of young people now enter Higher Education. Of this year’s cohort, the number of those going to university from underrepresented backgrounds rose by eight per cent.
David Lammy MP, Minister of State, said: "Encouraging young people to set their sights high is what Aimhigher Week is all about. The awareness week puts a spotlight on the great work that schools and universities are doing to inspire, motivate and encourage young people to consider university or college.
"It’s about raising the aspirations of youngsters across the country to help change the course of people’s lives for the better, giving them more of a chance to realise their potential and their life goals."
During Aimhigher Week there will be over 100 local events across the country including: roadshows engaging secondary and college students, Year 9 students visiting local universities, and subject masterclasses hosted by universities.
Designed to inspire and motivate, these masterclasses include:
- Robotics - Pupils from St Mary's Primary, Kells, Whitehaven will learn how to use computers to program robots at Cumbria Stem Centre Ltd
- History/Archaeology – An archaeological dig is being organised by the University of Leicester and will be attended by Year 8/9 students from Abington High School
- Sports Science – Olympic gold medalist Darren Campbell will be giving a talk to young people in East London about the importance of setting their goals high
- Creative Design – this Saving the World activity at The Arts Institute in Bournemouth will encourage 25 Year 8 students to develop new solutions and ideas with recycled material, particularly plastics, and how it can help in the everyday world
Many university and college activities will be spearheaded by a new nationwide group of student mentors, called Aimhigher Associates. They are part of a brand new scheme, whereby 5,000 undergrads have been recruited to mentor 21,000 pupils through education and career choices from Key Stage 4 (from 14 to 16 year olds). Associates will help pupils through educational transitions and with the UCAS university application process. Their own personal experiences are vital in encouraging young people to make the most of their talents.
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Notes to editors
Aimhigher Programme
The Aimhigher programme - Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) - has secured 44 area partnerships in the UK. Helping to increase awareness of the merits of Higher Education in the UK, the programme has so far ensured participation of thousands of young people.
The programme was introduced in August 2004 to particularly focus on young people from lower socio-economic groups (NS-SEC groups 4-8) and those from disadvantaged backgrounds who live in areas of relative deprivation where participation in Higher Education is low.
The following activities represent the core programme offering and take place in all areas of the country:
- Campus visits
- Mentoring
- Master classes, including subject enrichment or revision sessions
- Student ambassadors
- Information, advice and guidance (IAG)
- Summer schools and HE-related residential experiences
- School or college based interventions
