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UCL Expand: Empowering Future Scholars
1 August 2024
UCL Expand, a programme launched this year to help Year 12 students explore their subject interests and provide vital advice on course choices and how to make the most out of personal statements, came to a successful conclusion earlier this term.
A total of 102 participants engaged in hybrid academic sessions, led by graduate students, across four subject strands – Societies and Culture; Technology and the Physical World; Life and Health Science; and Creativity and Imagination – before collaborating on long-form projects.
Participants were also treated to a tour of the UCL Campus, a Q&A session with UCL Admissions and a bespoke visit to a selection of locations, including the ever-popular Petrie Museum and the cutting-edge laboratories of the Zebra Fish Lab.
The seven-week programme culminated in a session at UCL’s North Cloisters, where participating students reflected their growth in learning in presentations and discussions of their work, followed by a graduation ceremony and celebration of UCL Expand.
Many of the students were from priority groups or were in receipt of free school meals and over half of the attendees were from outside of London, helping to widen the scope of pupils who engage with UCL Access and Widening Participation activities. The programme also enhanced students' confidence, with some overcoming initial apprehensions to actively participate and engage.
A student participant said:
My favourite aspect about UCL Expand was the online sessions – they were so interesting and I never would have considered art as something I would enjoy or connect with but now I will definitely look more into it!“My favourite aspect about UCL Expand was the online sessions – they were so interesting and I never would have considered art as something I would enjoy or connect with but now I will definitely look more into it!My favourite aspect about UCL Expand was the online sessions – they were so interesting and I never would have considered art as something I would enjoy or connect with but now I will definitely look more into it!My favourite aspect about UCL Expand was the online sessions – they were so interesting and I never would have considered art as something I would enjoy or connect with but now I will definitely look more into it
The Expand Team, led by Chloe Richardson (Senior Access Officer), Sally Kettyle (Access Officer), and Beth Douglass (Access Officer), said:
We are extremely happy with how UCL Expand went. We realised the impact of the programme at the graduation event, when we were able to see the participant projects and talk to them about their inspirations, ideas and learnings. It was genuinely incredible – the participant’s ideas were original and their conclusions were evidence based and they were able to talk about them with confidence and knowledge. We could see the growth from the Welcome Event to this point.“We are extremely happy with how UCL Expand went. We realised the impact of the programme at the graduation event, when we were able to see the participant projects and talk to them about their inspirations, ideas and learnings. It was genuinely incredible – the participant’s ideas were original and their conclusions were evidence based and they were able to talk about them with confidence and knowledge. We could see the growth from the Welcome Event to this point.
As UCL Expand prepares for its next iteration, please keep an eye out for information on our website and social media channels for when applications open later this year.
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