National Education Opportunities Network (NEON)

🎉NEON is proud to introduce our 2024-25 Capacity Building Programme, with 20+ activities designed to help higher education professionals advance their skills and impact in this crucial year for access and success work. This programme will help you take the maximum advantage of the opportunities a new government can bring to the thousands of learners from widening access backgrounds. 👉 You can see the full programme here: https://lnkd.in/eYwu9JBW Highlights Include:  • The rebranded Access and Success Academy, offering bespoke skills-related capacity building in key areas of access and success work;  • Online and face-to-face NEON Summits, with policymakers and leaders in areas including partnerships and collaboration; reducing gaps in attainment, success and progression; and access to higher education in healthcare;  • The annual face-to-face two-day NEON Summer Symposium, bringing together over 200 delegates from over 100 higher education providers. Exciting New Offerings Include:   • New accredited NEON Professional courses for those working in widening access, admissions, student success and employability;  • The inaugural Winter Online Conference, an unmissable opportunity for higher education professionals to engage in key sector discussions and share their work from wherever they are. Bookings are open to everyone, though members do receive a discount. We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming events and transforming the lives of learners across the UK together. #NEON2425 #HigherEducation #HigherEd #WideningAccess #University #Education

Professor Graeme Atherton, Director of NEON, told Times Higher Education on Thursday that the DfE figures for 2022-23 showed why the new Labour government should make widening access its number one priority for higher education.

🌍 Join Us for the Official Launch of the World Access to Higher Education Network (WAHEN) & UNESCO IESALC 'Right to Higher Education' Report 🌍 Higher education inequality exists around the world, and it's time for global and collective action to ensure equitable access and success for all learners regardless of their background. NEON is proud to launch the World Access to Higher Education Network (WAHEN), the first global network focused on addressing inequalities in access and success in higher education across the world. Join us at this FREE online conference on 10 December 2024 and be a part of this global movement for higher education equity. At the event, the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America will also be launching their important 'Right to Higher Education' report. ➡️ Register for FREE today: https://lnkd.in/eiZaKTav #HigherEducation #HigherEd #WideningAccess #University

It was a privilege to be invited to talk at the National Education Opportunities Network (NEON) online summit today about Keele University’s collaborative and partnership working with colleges and schools in the Keele Region and our work leading the Office for Students UniConnect Higher Horizons consortium, to drive widening access and achieve greater widening participation in higher education in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire, a key part of our core founding institutional mission. Newcastle Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) Stoke on Trent College City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College Telford College Shrewsbury Colleges Group Cheshire College - South & West #wideningparticipation #wideningaccess #partnership #fecolleges #stokeontrent #newcastleunderlyme #staffordshire #shropshire #telfordandwrekin #telford #cheshire

Don’t miss your chance to share your research and practice insights at NEON Online Winter Conference.

Two days to go - an unmissable opportunity to collaborate at NEON online summit dedicated to partnerships in widening access.

POSTGRAD PEARL BLOGS I got a pb! Pearl Blogs.  Students, Buses & Bird Poo... At 12 years old I had the opportunity to perform at the Royal Albert Hall through Mardi Gras, a scheme committed to give young performers from amateur dance schools in working class communities the chance to perform. It was my second time in London, the first being the year before, when I performed at Sadler's Wells through a similar project. I was amazed by the Kensington buildings and the dressing rooms being on the top balcony of the Albert Hall. I remember the bus crashing on the way back and my dance teacher shouting at me because my hair wasn't tight enough. 12 years later, I sit at the front of my first class 'Research Methods', on the top floor of the Royal College of Music and directly opposite, out of the window, I can see the Royal Albert Hall. The track chosen to perform in 2012, was 'Get Happy' first introduced by Ruth Etting and later performed by Judy Garland. But earlier this year I faced some personal life challenges, and I was subject to feeling 'unhappy'. These difficulties caused for me to wander into my local record shop one January day. I am not romanticising difficult days, but it was the best thing I could have done. Because when I walked out with Elkie Brooke’s 'Pearls' record and wacked it on my turntable I noticed the impact music had on my wellbeing. Small intrigue led me to question whether studying music psychology was something possible to me. With the support of some very good friends, I applied to the music conservatoire on the MSc Music in Performance Science programme at the Royal College of Music and I was shortlisted for interview. I prepared a thesis exploring music and the rural as well as hauntology within a folk sphere. In addition to producing a presentation in response to quantifying music from chapters 10-13 of the textbook 'Performing Music Research' written by my professors. I also pitched my music research proposals and shared my passions for music and mental health. In February 2024, I was offered a place. For those of you who have been following my 'PEARL PROD Blogs', you may know what's coming next... It has not been an easy process. Being estranged and working class comes with its own set of challenges spanning far beyond finances like imposter syndrome for example. In 2019, Graeme Atherton, director of the National Education Opportunities Network (NEON), produced research which suggests that '...more than half of England’s Universities had fewer than 5% of "poor" white students and only 2% of white low-income males get places in the top groups of universities'. Where is that statistic for specifically women from working class communities on postgraduate courses at conservators or top-rated Universities for their profession and specialisms? I would argue in the 4% region or much less, in my opinion. I'm super excited to get stuck into this master’s and I even had a bird poo on my left side on my first day.

❄️NEON is proud to introduce our 1st Winter Conference, an opportunity for higher education professionals to engage in key sector discussions and share their work from wherever they are. This year's theme "Higher Education – Creating a Sustainable, Equitable System for Growth" will focus upon how we can create a sustainable, equitable system of higher education that will deliver both the skills and growth needed in the United Kingdom.  Confirmed speakers include: • John H. McKendrick, Commissioner for Fair Access to Higher Education, Scotland • Antony Moss, Pro Vice Chancellor, London South Bank University • Julie Sheldon, Dean of the Doctoral Academy, Liverpool John Moores University • James Kewin, Deputy Chief Executive, Sixth Form Colleges Association and more... 💻The event takes place online on 29 Jan 2025. See more info: https://lnkd.in/ef9qJpxU 📢 Call for papers is also open now! Don't miss the chance to present your work: https://lnkd.in/e5e4HWA4 #NEONWinterConference25 #HigherEducation #HigherEd #WideningAccess #Universities

🌟 New Beginnings in Education Equity: Introducing the Cosmos Newsletter! 🌟   I’m excited to announce the launch of our Cosmos LinkedIn Newsletter, tailored for education professionals passionate about making a real difference in student outcomes. 📚   Each month, we’ll bring you actionable insights, inspiring interviews, and practical tools to help you drive impactful change in your role – whether it’s through data, engagement strategies, or innovative approaches to teaching and learning.   In this Issue: 🎤 Exclusive Interview: Anna B. from Hello Future shares how real-time data powers and shapes their access initiatives on the ground. 📊 New Blog: Learn how to leverage data for better student outcomes – moving from guesswork to great results. 💡 Lightning Skills Video: Master moderating online discussion groups with 14-16-year-olds with our quick and effective tips. ✨ And stay tuned for the launch of The Student Outcomes Podcast, featuring an insightful conversation with Graeme Atherton, founder of National Education Opportunities Network (NEON).   🔗 Subscribe today to join a growing community of educators and practitioners committed to equity and excellence in education. Let’s build a future where every student has the opportunity to succeed! #EducationEquity #StudentOutcomes #CosmosInsights #DataDrivenImpact #NewsletterLaunch

🚀 The NEON Capacity Building Programme 2024/25 is launching this Thursday! Around 100 higher education professionals have already registered for our FREE online launch event. This is your opportunity to explore how our comprehensive programme can help you address inequality in higher education. Don't miss out — join us and take the first step toward driving real change: https://lnkd.in/efeGadYX #HigherEducation #HigherEd #WideningAccess #University