UNIQ at Hertford

17 July 2018

After experiencing a week of academic sessions, fun social activities, and seeing what the city has to offer, a lot of the students were seriously considering applying to Oxford!

We were thrilled to host Oxford University’s UNIQ summer schools at Hertford last week. 48 state-school students stayed in college for the week, relaxed in the JCR and ate in Hall. They were supported by UNIQ’s ambassadors – current Oxford students who lead the group throughout the week and coordinate everything from taster lectures to breakfast and evening activities (whether sports nights in University Parks or a ghost tour through the streets of Oxford)!

Holly Kilner (2015) has just graduated from Hertford in History and was the UNIQ Site Manager for the week – she had this to say: “The UNIQ students at Hertford had a great time meeting our college cat, Simpkin, and going over Hertford’s famous Bridge of Sighs! The central location was great for those early morning starts in departments over the city. After experiencing a week of academic sessions, fun social activities, and seeing what the city has to offer, a lot of the students were seriously considering applying to Oxford!”

UNIQ was established in 2009 to reach out to potential Oxford students from low socio-economic backgrounds and areas of little progression to higher education. This year, 1,900 students will benefit from its summer school, spring residential conference, and digital learning platform. The UNIQ summer school allows students to choose a subject that they’re interested in and have a taste of studying it in Oxford, living in a college for a week while they do. Hertford is proud to support this initiative and, from next year, will be welcoming even more UNIQ students to the college.

To find out more about UNIQ, visit their website or follow their Instagram channel.