Nine Trades to help ease path to University
Published On Mon 6 Feb 2017 by Grant Hill
An organisation that celebrates the legacy of bonnet makers, fleshers and weavers is to help aspiring scientists, designers and engineers fulfil their academic potential at the University of Dundee.
The historic Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee will provide financial support to help students who have missed out on higher education as a result of adversity. The organisation has pledged £27,000 to support bursaries for students on the University’s DUAL Access Summer School over the next three years. The money will fund 25 bursaries each year.
University students who benefitted from Summer School will welcome representatives of the Nine Incorporated Trades to the campus on Wednesday, 8th February. They will explain how the initiative paved the way to university for them and the difference that the bursary made during their time at Summer School.
Dr John Blicharski, Access and Participation Manager at the University, said, “Coming to university is a transformational experience. The support of the Nine Incorporated Trades will allow more students to cope financially. We are very grateful for their support and hearing the students’ own stories will highlight just how important this help is.”
Murray Petrie, Deacon Convener of the Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee, said, “One of the aims of the Incorporation is the education of young people. We are delighted that with our financial assistance this very worthwhile and innovative scheme will help provide opportunities for students who due to their personal circumstances might not have been able to go onto higher education.”
The DUAL Summer School allows students held back by adversity to earn a place at Dundee. The University established the Summer School programme in 1993 as a means of enabling students from all backgrounds and circumstances to prove their ability to qualify for study through a special targeted course.
Since then, more than 1700 students from a diverse range of backgrounds have attended the course. Whilst some have just left school, others are returning to study.
The University’s widening access work has seen it heralded by politicians and organisations championing social mobility. Dundee’s innovative and pioneering approach to widening access promotes the value of holistic, contextual selection and supports in-house preparation for study opportunities. Staff are continuing to develop work in a number of areas, including fair admissions and gender equality.
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