Changing lives, shaping futures

Social mobility and widening access and participation lie at the heart of education. Increasing opportunities, opening doors, transforming lives – all can be achieved by ensuring everyone has
access to university.

At Manchester Met we take pride in our widening participation work. Over half (51.0%) of our 2020/21 undergraduate entrants were the first in their family to attend university and a third of our 2020/21 full-time and apprenticeship undergraduate entrants (33.1%) are from areas where participation in higher education is low (compared to 28.3% across the sector).

And a third of our undergraduates (32.4%) are from the most deprived postcode areas compared to 20.2% across the sector. In 2020/21, over 1,500 (21.1%) of our home full-time undergraduate or apprenticeship intake were students who had previously been on free school meals, the second highest in the sector, and above the sector average (17.3%).

Our student body is also ethnically diverse, with 33.1% of 2020/21 undergraduates identifying as BAME compared to a sector average of 24.6%.

Our intake also contains strong representation of other minoritised people. For example, in 2019/20,
the University had more estranged students than any other in England and the second highest number of care-experienced students. 13.8% of our 2020/21 undergraduates report some form of disability, 4.7% have a mental health condition, and 6.4% (1,770) of our students identify as
lesbian, gay or bisexual.

These positive statistics are the result of a range of initiatives the University has in place to make higher education as accessible as possible. And one of the key areas is philanthropy.

Donations have the power to transform lives, communities and institutions. At Manchester Met
donations have become an essential tool for advancing the University’s mission and making a positive impact on the world.

But philanthropy is not a one-size-fits-all solution. From events management, arts, and fashion, to engineering and economics, Manchester Met attracts donors from a huge array of different sectors,
and through their generosity, make contributions in many different ways – and our community of supporters only continues to grow.

In 2022/23, a record number of Manchester Met students received life-changing support in the form of donor-funded scholarships, bursaries, and awards.

First Generation

First generation students – the first in their family to attend university – can experience additional challenges in their education journey.

In recognition of the this, the University developed the innovative First Generation Scholarship
programme to provide additional support.

Funded jointly by the University and donors, the Programme identifies and supports talented young
people, often from very low-income households, from across the North West of England and works with them to gain the skills and confidence to progress to higher education.

Thanks to the support of donors, this year, the University welcomed 165 First Generation Scholars on to campus – the fifth and largest cohort to date. By next year, more than 1,000 Manchester Met students in total will have benefitted from the Programme.

Elsewhere, donations have enabled Manchester Met to provide 46 other students so far this year with a breadth of different awards. Household names such as PlayStation and Formula One, are also working in partnership with the University to offer support and financial assistance to students who may face unique challenges in pursuing education. They help to bridge the gap in educational access and ensure everyone, no matter what background, has the support they need to succeed.

Partnerships with organisations such as Max Mara and SJM Concerts also provide scholarships to tackle underrepresentation in other key sectors.

The Max Mara Opportunity Scholarship in Fashion supports two undergraduate students, from ethnic minority backgrounds enrolled on the BA (Hons) Fashion degree course, while the SJM Concerts Futures Scholarship offers additional support for minority ethnic students studying events, business, law and music and sound design courses.

A new scholarship for 2022/23 is the REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) Events Scholarship, which offers additional support for minority ethnic students studying on the Events
Management degree programme.

The REACH Events Scholarship was created by a group of leading events professionals, who were keen to deliver measurable change to the sectors they love. With the support of donors, the working party have ambitions to develop this programme across the UK and chose Manchester Met as one of its partners.

This is the generosity that allows the University to create the future talent of entrepreneurs, artists, journalists, politicians, policymakers, and researchers, who will go on to make a positive contribution to their society, and in turn, to the next generation.

Dominic Boyd, Director of Development and Alumni Relations at Manchester Met, said: “For students, scholarships can be life changing. They open doors and generate opportunity, enabling students to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals regardless of their background.

“I cannot overstate the importance of the support we receive from our alumni, friends and partners. Their contributions allow us to attract and retain the very best and brightest students create a diverse student community.”

Widening Participation

But there is more than just scholarships. There are many other ways that the University supports those who may find access to university, or navigating through and succeeding at university difficult.

In response to the particular challenges faced by ethnic minority students, Manchester Met developed a BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) Ambassador programme, which trains and
supports a group of our students to support our ethnic minority student population and advocate
for change and improvements in the University.

Manchester Met has more estranged students than any other University in England and the second highest number of Care Leavers, who all have access to the Inclusion Service, which provides enhanced support and a single point of contact for these students and other vulnerable groups throughout their studies.

Peter Riley, Head of Widening Participation at Manchester Met, said: “It is important that we continually provide a pathway into Higher Education for the widest possible group of students.

“Through our outreach programmes, scholarships and partnerships with organisations, we aim to break down barriers to higher education and open up pathways for students from all walks of life.

“Our diverse student population is what makes Manchester Metropolitan so special, and we remain committed to continue our progress in diversity, equality and inclusion.”

Samir Hussain, Animation

Starting university, the beginning of his future career in the creative field, Samir Hussain knew that he was breaking the mould of the usual stereotype in his community.

But after securing a place on the PlayStation Career Pathways Program Scholarship, he knew that he could use his experience to inspire others to follow their dreams.

The scholarship offers financial support to both postgraduate and undergraduate students, from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, studying creative and digital technology degree courses across the University.

It recognises the need for greater representation and diversity in the creative and digital industries.

“Receiving the PlayStation Career Pathways Program Scholarship means a lot to me and to my family,” said Hussain. “As a British Pakistani Muslim, this is huge for me and for those who want to pursue work in a creative field, which my community lacks majorly.

“When I applied for the PlayStation Pathway programme, I felt like this is an opportunity to put my stamp on the community. I want to open the doorway for those who believe they can enter this field without feeling pressurised by parents or family, who wish for their child to study the “normal” subjects that most often my community goes into.

“The scholarship has lessened my financial burden, which enables me to concentrate more on the most crucial component of education: learning.”