APPLICATIONS are now open for a University of Bradford scheme which is aiming to make it easier for refugees and asylum seeks to enter higher education.
Launched last year, the Sanctuary Scholarship scheme allows applicants to apply for a £4,000-a-year grant, subject to terms and conditions.
Professor Zahir Irani, the University’s deputy vice-chancellor, said the scheme shows its commitment to social mobility.
The University of Bradford was recently ranked number one in England in the Social Mobility Index for the second year running.
“We want to engage as many students as possible, to give them a welcoming environment in which they can co-create knowledge and make a meaningful contribution to society”, he said.
The University of Bradford became one of the UK’s first Universities of Sanctuary in 2017, in recognition of its work to create a culture of inclusion for asylum seekers and refugees.
This followed five years of training and developing learning packages to educate staff and students.
Bradford is already a City of Sanctuary and the University has developed strong links, which has included encouraging students to take up volunteering opportunities to help welcome and support refugees and asylum seekers in the city.
A crucial element of enabling individuals to not only access but progress and succeed in higher education is having an appropriate level of financial support in place, as this remains a significant barrier, the University said.
Emma Young, Head of Student Success Services, added: “Our Sanctuary Scholarships, designed for those who would not be eligible for funding via any other means, is one of the ways in which we live by those values and commitments.
“The Sanctuary Scholarship is always a much sought after and competitive award, and we know it is always highly valued and makes a real difference to recipients.”
In addition to its social mobility recognition, the University was also named University of the Year for Social Inclusion in 2019/20 by The Times and Sunday Times.
It has also been cited as “an exemplar in the way it approaches cultural factors that can hinder social mobility" by the Rt Hon Justine Greening, founder of the Purpose Coalition, which aims to promote the improvement of social mobility.
Equality, diversity and inclusion comprise one of the four key priority areas for the University, as part of its five-year strategic plan from 2020 to 2025.
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