SusNet Wales: Blended Learning Environments for Raising Ambition, Aspirations and driving Social Mobility

An invited case study for Universities UK and the UK Government’s Social Mobility Advisory Group
Commissioned by RCUK and the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement

This case study summarises our multi-disciplinary collaborative partnership between Aberystwyth University (AU) and Ceredigion schools and colleges which engenders the ethos of personal transformation and social mobility through lifelong learning. Our mission is to encourage young people from diverse backgrounds and abilities to pursue relevant post-16 studies, establish their careers and become better informed global citizens. We provide fun, informal interactive environments in which students and teachers can work directly with practising researchers in a supportive mutually beneficial environment. We promote social inclusion within our rural community, strengthen community-academic links and promote the ethos that social growth, mobility and access to Higher Education resources is achievable for everyone. The strategic importance of the work of SusNet has been recognised by AU, the Higher Education Academy and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW). SusNet contributes to the well-being goals identified in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act (2015) (and HEFCW has duties under this Act) and is a unique selling point for AU.