School of Economics

Widening Participation

Unleashing potential, creating opportunities: widening participation at the School of Economics

The School of Economics is proud to provide equal opportunities for all individuals to succeed, regardless of their background or socio-economic status. Our Widening Participation (WP) initiatives aim to remove barriers and support underrepresented groups in accessing and succeeding in higher education. We are committed to increasing diversity in our student body and creating a more inclusive and equitable community. Whether you are a student, educator, or community member, we invite you to join us in our efforts to widen participation and promote equal opportunities for all.

Widening Participation group

WP recognises that not everyone has the same start in life nor the same opportunities to flourish and succeed educationally.

The University of Edinburgh has long been passionately committed to and taken a lead in WP,  pioneering many different types of access programmes and best practice, including the Lothians Equal Access Programme for Schools (LEAPS) and Pathways to the Professions in the 1990s, which are now embedded across the sector.

We deliberately use widening participation rather than widening access, as our commitment continues long after getting into Edinburgh, providing support throughout the student journey and beyond.

YourEd+ is another initiative the School partners with to encourage WP. We work with multiple secondary schools around Edinburgh and beyond to take university to the students and work with those that may feel unsure if Higher Education is for them. The programme is designed to help S5 and S6 pupils learn key skills such as; study skills, confidence and attainment. More information on YourEd+ can be found using the link below.

YourEd+