Change Lives through Higher Education
27th Oct 2021
Queen’s University Belfast has created a new initiative which will bring together companies to change the lives of disadvantaged young people in Northern Ireland.
‘The Bright Future Collective’ will officially launch in the new year and Queen’s is inviting like-minded businesses across Northern Ireland to come together to help make a Queen’s education accessible to everyone who can benefit from it, ensuring that our greatest talent is given every opportunity to succeed.
Since 1845, Queen’s University has been dedicated to providing a world-class education to the brightest students, regardless of their social, political, religious or economic backgrounds. Currently 30% of students starting their degree at Queen’s are from areas of greatest disadvantage in Northern Ireland, based on data from the NI Multiple Deprivation Measure, and there are still many young people within this category who won’t even apply.
In 2017, Queen’s launched the Pathway Opportunity Programme in order to engage with talented young people in schools across Northern Ireland, who, because of their background are least likely to apply for higher education. Since then, the programme has grown significantly, and the students supported by it are flourishing.
Members of the Bright Future Collective will have the opportunity to engage with the school-age participants of the Pathway Opportunity Programme and the current Queen’s Pathway Students, raising their profile on campus, and playing a part in giving talented young people the opportunity to fulfil their potential.
Kainos Software Ltd were the first to commit to joining the Collective. Their Group CSR Manager, Danielle Keenan commented “We are delighted to join the Queen’s Bright Future Collective. Schemes like this enable us to support some of the best talent and create life changing opportunities for those who are under-represented at university. We strongly believe in supporting equal access for all in education, as well as giving back to our local communities.”
The University recognises that engaging in mutually beneficial partnerships with businesses will help to create a bright future for young people here in Northern Ireland. By working in partnership with Queen’s, members of the Bright Future Collective will be investing in the employees and business leaders of tomorrow.
To find out how your company could join the Collective or to explore the benefits of joining, please contact Aoife McNabb on a.mcnabb@qub.ac.uk or +44 (0)77 6017 0162
