Prospective students were able to hear about the support the University offers for groups under-represented in Higher Education at the latest Realising Opportunities (RO) national conferences.
The Realising Opportunities initiative is a unique collaboration of 15 leading, research intensive universities – including Liverpool – working together to promote fair access and social mobility for students from groups under-represented in higher education.
Realising Opportunities launched in 2009 and provides able students with skills and information to help them to make informed decisions about their future and to raise their aspirations to progress to a leading research intensive university.
Recognising achievements
Students are supported throughout the programme by their local RO university and a dedicated e-mentor who is a current student at one of the RO universities. Successful completion of the RO Programme gives students the opportunity to have their achievements recognised through UCAS, resulting in additional consideration and the potential for alternative offers from the RO universities.
A number of University academics took part in the latest RO national conferences, hosted by Goldsmiths University in London and the University of Sheffield.
Staff from Widening Participation and Outreach were supported by academics from each Faculty at the events which give local students the chance to view the scale of the RO programme and meet peers from across the country, along with their personal e-mentors who are current undergraduates from one of the partner institutions.
Engagement
Dr Karl Simms, Helen Orton, Di Li and Neil Smith delivered talks on Humanities and Social Sciences Careers; Aspiring to Medicine; Dentistry and Veterinary Science; Science and Engineering Careers; and Academic Writing.
Michael Mohebbi, from Widening Participation and Outreach who manages Liverpool’s RO programme, said: “These national student conferences play a major role in the RO programme, helping our students to appreciate that they are part of a much bigger project than they experience during our own on-campus activities.
“Liverpool has delivered four academic sessions at both of this year’s conferences, which were available to around 850 students. This highlights the level of engagement, support and goodwill we receive from our academics.”
Recruiting academic tutors
Widening Participation and Outreach are currently recruiting academic tutors to work with RO students. Academic tutors work with a small group of students (1-3) to set, offer tutorial support and mark a 2,000 word assignment, which students must undertake to successfully complete the programme.
To find out more about the roles, please contact Lydia Redican: Lydia.redican@liverpool.ac.uk.
For more information about the Realising Opportunities initiative please visit: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/widening-participation/post-sixteen/realising-opportunities/