We believe that students from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds deserve equitable access to the University, as well as equity of opportunity for those engaged in study and research while at the University. Why this matters to us Poverty and inequality can have a devastating impact on people’s lives. Widening participation is primarily about minimising that impact through the transformative potential of higher education. At Edinburgh we are passionate about social justice and mobility. We believe that students from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds deserve equitable access to the University, as well as equity of opportunity for those engaged in study and research while here. Widening participation is about nurturing talent across all parts of society. It is about us continuing to represent and be relevant for the communities we serve, whether local, national or international. We’re proud of being known as a global leader and highly selective research-driven institution. However, we’re even more proud to be known as a place which welcomes students from all backgrounds and provides an exciting, inclusive and supportive environment in which all students can feel they belong and grow, and thrive and succeed through their studies at the University. View our WP Strategy 2030 [PDF] Our Guiding Principles The principle running through all of the strategy is to work towards the University’s Strategy 2030 ambition to be ‘leading Scotland’s commitment to widening participation’. Our Priorities Our six priorities for the WP Strategy 2030 range from ensuring we focus on students' whole life contexts to enabling wider access to postgraduate study. WP Impact Report The University’s Widening Participation Strategy launched in 2018. Since then, we’ve achieved many goals and we’re progressing towards more. This is all thanks to the hard work and commitment of our brilliant students, staff and community partners. This article was published on 2024-07-22