Prime Highlights
- Destination Northumbria scheme now includes MFL participation as a qualifying criterion for contextual offers.
- Students who join Northumbria can earn academic credit supporting future skills week cohorts.
Key Facts
- Northumbria University London partners with Mayor’s Fund for London on new skills weeks programme.
- First session focused on cyber security, digital and careers skills for 16 to 18-year-olds.
Background
Northumbria University’s London Campus has opened its doors to young Londoners this summer through a new initiative with the Mayor’s Fund for London (MFL), offering a route into higher education.
The collaboration supports the Mayor of London’s programme of free holiday activities, part of a £6 million initiative launched in 2025 to expand opportunities for learners across the capital.
Working with QA Higher Education, Northumbria University London will offer a range of five-day skills weeks for 16 to 18-year-olds as part of a new annual programme.
The first session, focused on cyber security, digital and careers skills, took place this month, giving participants a chance to build employability skills while experiencing life on a higher education campus.
Young people who take part can also benefit from Northumbria’s Destination Northumbria scheme, which supports learners preparing for undergraduate study and offers reduced-entry contextual offers to eligible applicants, with successful participation in the MFL programme now included as a qualifying criterion.
Students who progress to Northumbria’s undergraduate programmes will have the opportunity to support future cohorts through experiential learning, earning academic credit along the way.
Dr Carly Foster, who leads the project for Northumbria University, welcomed the opportunity to work with the first cohort of learners. Beth Robertson of the Mayor’s Fund for London said the partnership helps young people build digital and cyber skills while gaining early exposure to university life.
Dr Guy Brown, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Northumbria University’s London Campus, said the initiative aims to ensure a young person’s background never limits their opportunities, with plans to grow the programme annually.
