A-Level students get chance to sample university life

Young aspiring lawyers from all backgrounds will get the chance to experience what it’s like to study Law at Cardiff University, thanks to a new initiative.

The Sutton Trust Pathways to Law programme begins in January 2021 for 40 eligible sixth-form students from Cardiff and the surrounding area. Cardiff University is the first Welsh institution to be involved in the scheme, which aims to show highly able students from less advantaged backgrounds what opportunities might be open to them.

Working with the University’s Widening Participation team, academics from the School of Law and Politics will be providing online sessions to the group, which will give them a taste of the content they might have in lectures at degree level. Student ambassadors from the School will also be on hand to act as mentors to those involved, providing one-to-one support and advice.

The University first partnered with the Sutton Trust in 2019 on its Flagship UK Summer Schools programme. For the Pathways to Law programme, Cardiff University will be joining a longstanding and successful consortium of partners which includes institutions like Exeter, Oxford, LSE, Nottingham, Manchester and Newcastle.

Professor Urfan Khaliq of the School of Law and Politics said: “We are looking forward to welcoming students participating in this programme and giving them the opportunity to see what a degree at Cardiff University involves. We hope the sessions will give them an overview of university life and more importantly, an awareness of the careers that would be available to them later on.”

Scott McKenzie, Head of Widening Participation and Outreach, said: “Cardiff University is delighted to be part of the Pathways to Law programme, which we hope will inspire the next generation of lawyers. We hope this initiative will demonstrate to students that a career in law is a viable and exciting option for them.”

Applications for the programme close on 27 November. For more information, visit the Sutton Trust website.