Widening Participation
We work with local schools and colleges on outreach activities to promote economics, providing the opportunity for students to learn about the subject, and the future career opportunities it could lead to.
Discover Economics Outreach Programme
Our outreach programme, Discover Economics, provides students the opportunity to find out what economics is about and what it's like to study economics at university.
We run an exciting programme of events with schools, ranging from half-day taster sessions to week-long summer programmes that include taster lectures, interactive group activities, industry guest speakers and the opportunity to meet current students and academics from the School of Economics.
Discover Economics: In-school taster sessions
Economics is an exciting subject that enables young people to question and explore the world they are living in. Yet, many don’t study economics at school and may be unsure what it’s really about. Our in-school sessions provide economics tasters and information on degrees, apprenticeships and careers.
Our one-off, in-school sessions are aimed at GCSE or A level students (year 10 or 12) who are not currently studying economics. The sessions offer economics content (on topics including panic-buying, the cost-of-living crisis, education and inequality) together with information on university, apprenticeships and career opportunities.
The approx. one-hour sessions are delivered by University of Bristol economics students, either in regular lessons or as a standalone careers event, and can be scheduled at any time during the academic year. They can be linked to the curriculum in maths, business studies or geography; they can also help meet Gatsby benchmarks.
For more information please contact Professor Sarah Smith.
Local and National Outreach Programmes
The School of Economics supports a number of the University's local and national outreach programmes and summer schools providing A level students the opportunity to experience life at university, including:
Insight into Bristol summer school
Broadening the appeal of Economics
Professor Sarah Smith co-chairs 'Discover Economics', a three-year campaign, launched in October 2019, in partnership with leading economics organisations. The campaign aims to broaden the appeal of economics to potential students, change their perceptions of economics and economists, and promote greater diversity amongst economics students.
The Discover Economics website provides information and learning resources around what studying an economics degree might be like and where it might lead.
Contextual offers
At Bristol we encourage applications from all backgrounds because we believe in a student community that reflects our society.
A contextual offer is a grade reduction below the standard entry requirements and is made to those from backgrounds who, generally, are less likely to study here. Once here, data shows that our contextual offer students achieve above average academically.
'Generation COVID.' What does the pandemic mean for the future economy?
At the 2020 Bristol Festival of Economics, the University of Bristol's Chair in the Public Understanding of Economics, Professor Richard Davies hosted a webinar panel discussion about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy for school students.
Contact us
For further information, please contact:
Jennifer Goldsworthy, Faculty Engagement Officer (Social Sciences and Law):
Email: FSSL-Outreach@bristol.ac.uk