About Aimhigher
Aimhigher is a national programme which aims to widen participation in higher education (HE) by raising HE awareness, aspirations and attainment among young people from under-represented groups.
The role of Aimhigher is to:
- Raise aspirations and motivation to enter HE among young people from under-represented groups
- Raise attainment of potential students from under-represented groups so that they gain the academic or vocational qualifications that will enable them to enter HE
- Strengthen progression routes into HE via vocational courses
- Offer information, advice and guidance to potential students and their teachers and families
Jointly funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), the Aimhigher programme operates across 42 area partnerships throughout England.
Aimhigher encompasses a wide range of activities to engage and motivate learners who have the potential to enter HE but may be under-achieving, undecided or lacking in confidence. The programme particularly focuses 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 HE is low. Visit the Targeting section for further information.
Most Aimhigher activities are developed and delivered at an area level, which allows them to be tailored to the needs of specific communities. 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
Activities delivered at an area level are supported by national Aimhigher activity:
- The Aimhigher Roadshow, the largest of its kind in Europe, tours schools and colleges across the country and encourages young people to consider the benefits of higher education and the different options available. Visit Roadshow for further information.
- IAG available online at www.direct.gov.uk/uni
- A range of HE information booklets, available from Communications.
From September 2009, the Aimhigher programme will be expanded to include a new national strand. Aimhigher Associates is a £21 million mentoring scheme which will see around 5,500 university students recruited to provide long-term individual and face-to-face support to more than 21,000 pupils in schools and colleges across the country. An initial pathfinder phase began in September 2008 and involves 21 area partnerships. For further information, visit Aimhigher Associates.
The national Aimhigher programme began on 1 August 2004 as a result of the integration of two previously existing programmes - Excellence Challenge and Aimhigher: Partnerships for Progression. Funding is currently allocated to Aimhigher until 2011.
