Widening participation

Campus tour with student ambassador

We collaborate with schools and colleges across Greater Manchester to provide young people with impartial information, advice, and guidance (IAG) on pathways into higher education and the university experience. Through our activities and events, we empower learners to make informed decisions about their future, ensuring they have the knowledge and confidence to pursue higher education if they choose to do so.

Our partnerships with key organisations and charities are central to our commitment to widening access and participation. By breaking down perceived barriers to higher education, we strive to create a student body that reflects the diversity of society. We work to inspire, engage, and enable students from underrepresented backgrounds by raising awareness, challenging inequalities, and providing meaningful opportunities to explore university life.

We deliver a broad range of initiatives, from early engagement at primary school to tailored post-16 support. Our bespoke activities address the unique challenges faced by care-experienced students, young carers, estranged students, ethnic minority students, disabled young people, children from military families, and other underrepresented groups, ensuring equitable access to higher education for all.

Secondary school students in class

Who we work with

For activities we ask that learners are selected for participation from the following targeting criteria:  

  • From an area/postcode where participation in higher education is low 
  • Eligible for free school meals 
  • First in their family to consider HE (first-generation) 
  • Looked after children/care leavers 
  • Disability (including long-term health conditions and additional needs) 
  • Young carer
  • Underrepresented ethnic background
  • Gypsy, Roma, traveller community
  • Asylum seeker/refugee status 
  • Military family/service children 

Visit the website to check participation by postcode Office for Students

To book onto any of our events you can contact us at outreach@salford.ac.uk.

Events and activities
Campus visits

Our on-campus activities are a great way to engage students with our University, and enable them to discover more about their opportunities for the future.

We can provide a bespoke programme to suit your needs, which may include:

  • Aspiration-raising talks
  • Choices in education workshops
  • Campus tours
  • Student ambassador Q&A panels 
Subject taster days

Our 'Explore' Days give learners the opportunity to experience what it's like to study a particular subject at university. The workshops are delivered by a university lecturer or postgraduate student who will deliver a workshop in their subject area. The learners will see the building, teaching space, lab or lecture theatre where the subject is taught to students, and the workshops are engaging and exciting for the learners to participate in. 

Our current 'Explore' days are offered in the following subject areas:

  • Arts and Media 
  • Biomedicine
  • English
  • Engineering 
  • Law
  • Politics and History 

The subject areas offered may change as academic staff time is limited, and some Explore days are offered on specific dates. Please get in touch to discuss your booking request: outreach@salford.ac.uk 

Bespoke events for Targeted Learners

We are happy to arrange bespoke online or on campus visits for Targeted Learners. This could be arranged on an individual or group basis for students with a disability, young carer, care experienced or estranged students. Young carers are currently caring for a family member who could not manage without help due to frailty, physical or mental illness, addiction or disability. Care experienced students are or have been in the care of the local authority, may be known as 'looked after child'. Estranged students are young people who have no contact with their parents due to a breakdown in the relationship. 

Activities can include campus tours, tailored HE workshops, student support talks, academic talks or tours. We also support a number of targeted learner events throughout the year as part of Greater Manchester Higher.

If you are in Greater Manchester we can visit you and deliver any of our presentations and workshops to groups of students. We can also deliver teacher or key influencer CPD presentations as part of training sessions. If you are interested in any of our targeted learner outreach please contact outreach@salford.ac.uk to discuss your requirements. 

To find out more about the support we offer for targeted learners please visit our student support page.

Greater Manchester Higher

Greater Manchester Higher is a collaborative network of higher education providers, and is part of the funded Uni Connect programme, a nationally coordinated approach to working with schools, universities, and colleges to help people access higher education. GM Higher aim to improve the provision of information, advice and guidance about progression routes to higher education, alongside offering a menu of activities to raise the aspirations of young people in Greater Manchester.

As partners in the network, the University of Salford Outreach and Widening Participation Team contribute to the events and activities delivered as part of the programme. The programme includes activity at partner institutions such as campus visits, and in-school activity such as talks and information, advice and guidance stands for careers events. 

Full details of upcoming events and booking information can be found on the GM Higher website.

In-school activities

Greater Manchester Higher are committed to attending information and guidance events in schools, to promote higher education to learners in Greater Manchester. Examples of events we might attend include:

  • Parents' evenings
  • Options evenings

We also offer a wide range of presentations and workshops including:

  • Student life presentations (Y10-13)
  • HE Uncovered (Y10 - 13)
  • General HE presentations (for parents & carers)
  • Revision skills  (Y10-11)
  • Interview skills (Y10-11)
  • Study skills (Y10-11)
  • Budgeting (Y12-13)

Full details of the presentations and workshops we can deliver and how to book in a representative can be found on the GM Higher website.

Summer Schools

We provide three short, intensive summer school programmes designed to support learners from underrepresented backgrounds in accessing higher education. They provide students with a taste of university life, through academic workshops, subject tasters and skills and knowledge building activities...with a little fun thrown in there too. 

The programmes are designed for students who may face barriers to accessing HE, by offering guidance and advice around pathways and work directly with current students at the university. The opportunities on offer include:

The current offer includes programmes for:

  • Year 10, focused on theatre and technical stage skills
  • Year 12, focused on Automotive Engineering 'Ignition'

Year 12, focused on Biosciences 'Breaking the Mould'

For more information on how to apply, please contact outreach@salford.ac.uk.

IntoUniversity

IntoUniversity inside the Beacon Centre, Salford

The University of Salford has partnered with the University of Manchester to fund an IntoUniversity centre in Salford. IntoUniversity is the UK’s largest university-access charity, providing welcoming environment's for young people to learn, explore and succeed. 

The Salford Central centre opened in autumn 2022 providing primary and secondary academic support, mentoring, subject tasters and interventions with Salford and Manchester universities. The Beacon Centre, where IntoUniversity are located, is at the heart of the community in Salford, and provides a home-from-home setting for learners and their parents and carers to engage in the opportunities on offer. 

The Widening Participation Team work closely with IntoUniversity to support their programme of events and activities for their learners, including bringing groups onto campus, hosting the graduation ceremonies for the end of their projects, and sending students and academic staff into the centre to deliver engaging workshops.

Plug into Salford

Plug into Salford logo

Plug into Salford is a programme for first year students who are the first person in their family to go to university and have no family background of higher education, this project is designed to support transition from college into student life. Participants have the chance to meet other first generation students, make friends and build connections and build their sense of belonging at Salford. 

This programme takes place in September in the first week before the university officially welcomes students onto campus for their induction. It is free for students to take part, and participants receive a £1100 scholarship paid via two instalments of £550 during the first and second trimester after they enroll. 

National Saturday Club - Science and Engineering

National Saturday Club logo

The National Saturday Club is a UK-wide initiative designed to inspire and support young people by providing free opportunities to explore subjects they are passionate about outside of the school curriculum. The University of Salford STEM Saturday Club is part of this national network, offering young people aged 13–16 the chance to engage with exciting hands-on STEM activities in a university environment.

Our STEM Saturday Club introduces students to the topic of animal conservation, biodiversity and sustainability through interactive workshops, expert-led sessions, and access to state-of-the-art facilities, club members develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills while gaining a deeper understanding of this subject field.

What to expect

  • Practical, hands-on learning – Engage in fun and challenging activities
  • Industry insights – Learn from students, academics and professionals about animal conservation, biodiversity and sustainability in a unique setting on campus. Subject focus for the 2025 programme is 'Hedgehog Conservation'.
  • University experience – Explore campus facilities, interact with students and staff, and get a feel for higher education life.
  • Creative and collaborative projects – Work on team challenges such as building hedgehop houses, and take part in activities to build confidence and encourage curiosity.

Who can join?

The University of Salford STEM Saturday Club is free and open to 13–16-year-olds from all backgrounds. No prior understanding of the topic is needed—just curiosity and enthusiasm! The club is designed to be an inclusive and supportive space, encouraging participation from underrepresented groups in higher education.

More information about clubs and booking a space can be found on the National Saturday Club website. 

The Brilliant Club - Scholars Programme

The Brilliant Club logo

We are working with The Brilliant Club to deliver their Scholars Programme in local schools in Greater Manchester. The Brilliant Club train our PhD students to deliver engaging and inspiring programmes to share their subject knowledge and passion for learning with small groups in school. The programme has a positive impact on learners GCSE attainment, and gives them a chance to work closely with a club Tutor, and graudate from the programme within a university setting. The learners work on a challenging final assignment, which is marked and moderated using university grades. 

This is a unique experience for schools to take part in the eight week programme. For more information on hosting a club tutor in school, or to discuss the programme, please contact outreach@salford.ac.uk 

Preparing for your event

Please see the information below that will give you the details you need to plan, book and prepare for your activity with the Outreach and Widening Participation Team. If you have any questions about how it will work or if you need additional information, please get in touch at outreach@salford.ac.uk.

Preparing for your event
How campus visits work

The day will start with our student ambassadors meeting you and your learners at one of the drop off points on campus to take you to a lecture theatre for the welcome talk. Whilst the learners are completing the pre-evaluations, you will be given a timetable of the day and we will take a register of the learners too (which we normally ask for in advance). 

An Outreach Officer will then deliver the introduction before the learners are sent to their first workshop, which will be around Higher Education and the choices they will face when picking their next options. Afterwards, the Student Ambassadors will deliver a tour of our Peel Park Campus which will give the learners the opportunity to ask questions about the different courses available and what life is like at the university. 

After the tour, in most cases, lunch will be provided for learners and teaching staff in the form of a voucher that can be spend at one of the designated restaurants. Following lunch there is one more workshop and a final get together where learners complete the post-evaluations and participate in a Student Ambassador Q&A session, where again learners can ask any questions about HE and their experiences. You will then be directed back to your coach by our Student Ambassadors.  

Key points: 

  • Max 60 students per visit
  • Minimum of 1 teacher to 20 students  
  • The day starts at 09.30 and finishes at 14:30  
  • In most cases lunch is provided (please confirm this with your event lead)
  • There is no parking on site for coaches  
  • We do not organise or fund coaches for schools and colleges, if your visit is a Greater Manchester Higher event, please contact your local hub manager to discuss coach booking)
Coach drop off address

University of Salford, Maxwell Building, 43 Crescent, Salford M5 4WT – we may give you an alternative drop off and pick up point depending on the location of the welcome talk, but we will give you this information in advance 

How do you book events?

If you are booking a GM Higher event, please view the Events and Activities page on the website or for all over events please email outreach@salford.ac.uk.

How do I get to campus

Access our travel page for directions to the university, just scroll down the page for instructions via car. 

For cancellations and informing us of specific requirements

If you need to cancel your event, please do so only as a last resort as there are a number of costs we incur as a team based on your booking e.g. catering and student ambassador payments. Please get in contact with the team to discuss any additional requirements, we can only make adjustments to the event if we are aware of these in advance. 

Checklist for organising a visit

Prior to booking: 

  • Read the event details carefully and consider how the engagement will support your broader engagement plan/IAG programme  
  • Check the event times, location and travel times and ensure you are able to attend the full event. If you need to leave early you should discuss this with the event organiser before you book by emailing outreach@salford.ac.uk  
  • Secure SLT support for off timetable arrangements, staffing supervision and transport  
  • Ensure you have adequate time to complete any paperwork and collect parental/guardian consent  

After booking/prior to the event: 

  • To return any requests for information needed before an event in good time including number of attendees, monitoring and evaluation data (free school meals, learners who are young carers and learners with disability, etc.) and any special requirements (dietary, medical, accessibility etc).  
  • To notify the event organiser(s) of any potential changes or issues with attendance within the time period set out in the cancellation policy (including any changes to which learners will be attending)  
  • Ensure that all school/college staff attending the event for supervision purposes are aware of the full event details and support expectations, including managing behaviour of the learners  
  • Ensure that all learners attending the event are aware of the event details and expectations    

On the day of the event: 

  • If you are running late for any reason, please make the event organisers aware as soon as possible  
  • School/college staff are responsible for supervision and behaviour management at all times, including break times 
  • Make the event organiser(s) aware of any issues or queries that arise during the event as soon as possible so they can be addressed  
  • Support learner engagement and participation in activities 
Will there be a cost for the visit?

No, we do not charge a fee for our visits.  

Is there parking at the University of Salford?

Parking is only available in exceptional circumstances - if you need to discuss parking please contact outreach@salford.ac.uk.