The UPP Foundation, the registered charity founded by University Partnerships Programme (UPP) –the UK’s leading provider of on-campus residential and academic accommodation infrastructure – has invested £100,000 in grant funding for five pilot projects to be delivered by charities and universities.
The projects were selected by Trustees of the UPP Foundation following the submission of almost 50 applications – the highest number that the Charity has received to date.
The UPP Foundation has awarded grants for charities and universities to:
- Help homeless students gain access to university (University of Chichester)
- Provide tuition for young people to retake English and Maths GCSEs (Get Further)
- Encourage and support students to remain and contribute to their local economy (The Bridge Group)
- Host work placements for international postgraduate students with SMEs (University of Manchester)
- Engage the public in developing a civic university agreement (Goldsmiths, University of London)
The five pilot projects were chosen on the basis of their overall quality, synergy with the UPP Foundation’s strategic themes, commitment to partnership, innovative approach and potential for sector-wide impact.
The grants were approved prior to the commencement of the Government’s ‘social distancing’ measures to combat the spread of Covid-19 (Coronavirus). These measures are likely to delay the implementation of those projects which involve a significant degree of social interaction. The UPP Foundation will support each grant recipient during this difficult period to ensure that the projects can be completed at a time suitable to them.
The outcomes of the pilots will be shared, when possible, across higher education so that best practice can be embedded across the sector.
Richard Brabner, Director of the UPP Foundation, said: “In awarding the grant funding, we are confident that the proposed pilot projects will incubate new ideas to help address some of the biggest issues in the HE sector.
“They will help the most disadvantaged individuals gain access to university, better understand ways to improve graduate outcomes for UK and international students and measure the overall impact universities have on their local communities.
“Projects to support and develop our communities are more important than ever in light of the developing Covid-19 crisis. We will be working closely with the grant recipients to support them during these exceptionally challenging times, and to help implement their projects once it becomes safe to do so.”
The UPP Foundation has signed a joint statement with over three hundred other funders, pledging to support grant recipients during this challenging period, such as providing financial and reporting flexibility, and adapting activities to overcome current challenges.
For more information please visit the UPP Foundation’s website
