IntoUniversity

The Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow have partnered with national education charity IntoUniversity to address the needs of young people from some of the poorest backgrounds in Scotland.

In 2021, IntoUniversity opened three new learning centres in urban communities in Scotland, as a practical response to the poverty and educational disadvantage that blights the lives of many young people growing up in Scotland’s inner cities.

The centres - in Craigmillar, Edinburgh, and in Maryhill and Govan, Glasgow – are based at the heart of their communities and form partnerships with local schools and families. Together, they provide unique programmes offering academic support, pastoral care, one-to-one mentoring and the practical advice needed to realise aspiration and ambition, drawing on resources provided by the universities.

Why IntoUniversity?

Young people from Britain's poorest backgrounds face a considerable educational disadvantage, and those living in large metropolitan areas, such as Edinburgh and Glasgow, experience significant educational inequality.

Edinburgh is a city with a global reputation for its intellectual and cultural history, and is therefore often seen as a very affluent area. However, a deeper analysis reveals many underlying inequalities, including the fact that nearly a quarter of children in Edinburgh were living in relative poverty in 2019. This poverty is condensed into a few areas with high levels of deprivation.

Child poverty rates exceed 30% in the most deprived areas, reaching 31% in Portobello/ Craigmillar, where IntoUniversity’s Edinburgh centre is based.

These statistics highlight the inequality in Edinburgh and the need for interventions that support equal access and opportunity, aiming to break the connection between family background and educational attainment. IntoUniversity addresses this need by helping to break the cycle of poverty and inequality in the city’s most disadvantaged areas.

I like coming to IntoUniversity because the people here really support and inspire me, and it has helped me in lots of ways. I love mentoring because I get to have fun and [learn] things that are different from school, like researching careers that I could do. I want to explore how to be a fashion designer [so] we have decorated tote bags and made a 'My Future' poster about being a fashion designer. Mentoring has also helped me to understand certain subjects better because I can ask for help more easily.

The University of Edinburgh and IntoUniversity

To address this inequality, the University of Edinburgh in partnership with the University of Glasgow, is working alongside IntoUniversity to provide young people between the ages of seven and 18 with a yearly programme of academic support, motivation and encouragement through:

After-school assistance with homework, coursework, literacy and numeracy
Mentoring programmes, in which young learners are paired with a university student
Aspirational opportunities to learn about and visit the campuses of the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow to gain an insight into student life and subjects
Visits to organisations and corporate offices to engage with professionals across multiple disciplines and industries
Specifically designed study weeks

University students can volunteer as mentors to the young people, providing them with tailored one-to-one support to boost their aspirations and achieve their full potential.

A student at the Craigmillar Centre — Student at the Craigmillar Centre. Courtesy of IntoUniversity. Credit: Sam Sills.

Success so far

In 2023/24, the three centres engaged with and supported 3,975 students (2,023 primary, 1,952 secondary) – bringing total supported since inception in Scotland to 5,693.
The Craigmillar Centre has seen a 65% progression rate into some form of higher education for its students – against a national average of 24% for SIMD 20 students.
76% of Craigmillar students report improved academic performance at school.
Over 40 IntoUniversity students have now joined the University of Edinburgh since 2020 from across the UK.

Into University student and teacher in classroom in graduation outfits — Courtesy of IntoUniversity. Credit: Sam Sills.

IntoUniversity has made the world of difference to my son’s self-belief in his academic capability, which has led to him experiencing more success and achievement in school. Coming to IntoUniversity, and the connections he's made with the staff here, has boosted his self-confidence, which he can often struggle with, particularly because he is neurodivergent and can find it difficult to join groups with new people.

Support IntoUniversity

If you are interested in helping support the University's work with IntoUniveristy, please get in touch:

Neil Burns

Contact details

Email: neil.burns@ed.ac.uk