Age Group

12-18 year olds

Year Group

Key Stage 3 / 4

Duration

50 minutes

Group Size

5 - 300

Resource Pack?

Not Available

Follow Up Workshop

Request details

Digital Version?

Yes

Overview of The University Challenge

This presentation is the real story of the 2engage directors and how their journey started at school and the impact higher education had on their lives. Widening participation in higher education is a high priority for the UK government and many higher education institutions are aiming to address patterns of underrepresentation. Students can include those from low-income backgrounds, first-generation students, young carers, young people in care, students with a disability or from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds. ‘The University Challenge’ has been created to inform young people from a wide range of backgrounds about their higher education choices.

‘The University Challenge’ is a performed presentation which focuses on the journey from school to university. It is a fusion of comedy and storytelling which has reached in excess of 50,000 young people. We share the fears, excitement, highs and lows leading up to university; transforming what could have been a boring advice and guidance session into a digestible, fun and aspiration-raising experience. A good option for public events too!
- Promote accessibility to higher education regardless of background or situation
- Highlight the importance of continuing in education and lifelong learning
- Inform students of the support networks available
- Demonstrate that there is more to university than just academic studies
- Illustrate the progression routes of education, from GCSE to university
- Dispel myths and preconceptions about higher education
- Recognising personal strengths and how it affects self-confidence and self-esteem
- Taking responsibility for physical health and personal hygiene
- Importance of balancing work, leisure, exercise and sleep
- Maintaining a healthy diet on a budget
- Managing being new, fitting in and making friends
- The role peers can play in supporting one another
- Managing pressure
- How strengths, interests, skills and qualities are changing and relate to future employability
- Accessing support
- Further develop study and employability skills
- Range of opportunities available for career progression (education, training and employment)
- Managing financial decisions
- Budgeting
- Understanding debt (student)
- Matching career to personal interests, attributes and skills
- Further and higher education, training and apprenticeships

Testimonials

The University Challenge performance not only gives a clear and informative messages but a realistic view of the Higher Education journey students are about to embark on. This is all fixed together in a fun and memorable story line with some truly unforgettable characters.

Explore University Activity Worker, University of Wolverhampton

Both our Year 10’s and Year 12’s found the production informative, entertaining and amusing. It reassured our Year 12’s to take that next step and apply for university and reassured our Year 10’s that university life and work is very different to school. It inspired our students to re-consider university life as a prospective future for them. Watching this production made them think, question and re-evaluate their future choices. Brilliant!

Rebecca Banks, Paulet High School

I watched the University Challenge as part of National Careers Week. The two guys brought so much energy and humour to the presentation and managed to tap into my learner’s minds in ways that up to then, hadn’t been able to. I would highly recommend 2engage for your learners. Well done to all involved!

Vicky Marchington, Buxton and Leek College

Key Themes

BENEFITS OF HE
HE ACCESSIBILITY
PROGRESSION ROUTES
WIDENING PARTICIPATION
HOPES
FEARS
FUTURE PLANNING
HELPING PARENTS
UNIVERSITY LIFE
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
STUDENT FINANCE
STUDENT DEBT
ASPIRATION RAISING
GOAL SETTING
OUTREACH