Study Abroad – UK | University & College Guides
Social Responsibility and Impact Projects at Exeter
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Study Abroad – UK | University & College Guides
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Summary
Explore how Exeter creates social impact through widening participation, education outreach, student initiatives, research and projects that support social mobility and positive change.
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Social responsibility is about using knowledge, education and action to create a positive difference. At the University of Exeter, Social Responsibility and Impact Projects cover areas such as widening participation, educational outreach, social mobility, inclusive education and research that responds to real-world challenges.
Rather than treating social impact as a single activity, Exeter connects it with education, research, student experience and its wider role in society. The University also tracks outcomes to understand whether its work is making a measurable difference.
The University of Exeter places social responsibility within its wider aim of creating a sustainable, healthy and socially just future. Its approach includes making education more accessible, supporting underrepresented students and using research to address problems that affect communities and society.
Frequently Ask Question
One important area is social mobility. Exeter’s Access and Participation Plan focuses on improving access to higher education, reducing barriers to learning and helping students from underrepresented backgrounds progress through university and beyond.
This means social responsibility is not limited to charity or volunteering. Exeter also looks at whether people have a fair opportunity to enter higher education, succeed during their studies and achieve their future goals.
The University also works to create an inclusive learning environment. Its Success for All approach brings together academic staff, professional services and students to improve outcomes and experiences for underrepresented groups.
Exeter creates social impact in several connected ways.
Education is one of its main tools. Through widening participation and outreach, the University works with school and college students who may be less likely to consider higher education. These activities include advice sessions, workshops, campus visits, online events and subject-focused activities.
Research is another major route to impact. Exeter research addresses real social challenges in areas such as health, education, social mobility and wellbeing. The University highlights research projects where knowledge is translated into practical benefits for people and communities.
For example, Exeter’s health research includes work on stroke rehabilitation. One project combines virtual reality with clinical expertise to explore more engaging, effective and personalised rehabilitation for patients.
Social impact can also come from creating opportunities for students to develop ideas that address social problems. Exeter’s student entrepreneurship activity includes a Social Impact category, showing how student innovation can be recognised for its potential contribution to society.
Together, these activities show that Exeter’s approach is broader than a single project. It connects education, research, inclusion and innovation with real-world outcomes.
Students and staff can contribute to social responsibility through their academic work, research, outreach and ideas.
Student participation is particularly important in widening participation. Exeter’s Student Ambassador Scheme involves hundreds of students who share their experiences with prospective students. Their role can help young people from different backgrounds understand university life and make more informed decisions about higher education.
Students can also contribute through innovation and entrepreneurship. Exeter’s Student Startups programme supports emerging founders, and the University’s 2026 Student Entrepreneurship Awards included a Social Impact category. This recognises student or graduate ventures that aim to create positive social change.
Staff involvement is equally important. Academic staff contribute to outreach programmes, subject-specific activities and widening participation events. Exeter also uses staff expertise and research strengths to develop educational activities for school and college students.
This creates a useful connection between university knowledge and wider society. Students can gain experience while communities and prospective learners can benefit from the University’s expertise.
A major part of Exeter’s community impact comes from addressing inequality and improving access to education.
Its widening participation work targets groups that are underrepresented in higher education. The University provides structured programmes, curriculum enrichment and school-based activities designed to improve confidence, knowledge and awareness of higher education.
The results reported by Exeter show the scale of this work. In its 2025 Impact Report, the University reported that 35,000 learners had been supported through fair access and curriculum enrichment. It also reported that 2,500 students had completed Exeter Scholars, with progression to high-tariff universities above the benchmark reported by the University.
Exeter also reports increases in entrants from several widening participation backgrounds since 2020/21, including students from the most deprived neighbourhoods, ethnic minority groups, care-experienced backgrounds, and refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds.
These figures demonstrate that community impact is not simply about how many activities take place. Exeter also looks at who benefits and what changes as a result.
The University’s outreach activities include school visits, workshops, advice sessions, online lectures, student Q&As and residential programmes. These initiatives are designed to help young people understand higher education and make informed choices about their future.
Exeter also reports that around 360 school pupils attend its widening participation residential programmes each year, where they can experience university life, take part in subject activities and interact with student ambassadors.
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Education outreach is important because social inequality can affect access to higher education long before a student submits an application.
Exeter therefore works with schools and colleges to provide information, guidance and learning opportunities. Its outreach team works with students, parents, teachers and advisers, while faculty-level widening participation activity can provide subject-specific support.
The University also uses programmes such as Exeter Scholars to support students from widening participation backgrounds. These programmes can help participants build knowledge, confidence and skills while learning more about university study.
Exeter’s wider Access and Participation Plan also focuses on reducing non-academic barriers, improving student continuation and supporting students to achieve their academic and post-study ambitions.
For readers interested in the wider role of the University, see our Community Engagement and Sustainability at Exeter guide.
This approach makes outreach more than a recruitment exercise. Its wider goal is to support social mobility and informed educational choices, including for students who may ultimately choose another university.
A strong social responsibility programme needs more than good intentions. Exeter therefore uses data, evaluation and outcome measures to understand what is working.
Its Access and Participation work is evaluated against specific objectives and outcomes. The University monitors areas such as access, continuation, student outcomes and progression to help identify where further action is needed.
The 2025 Impact Report provides examples of measurable outcomes. Exeter reported £32 million in financial support and scholarships for widening participation, alongside support for thousands of learners through fair access and curriculum enrichment.
Another example is the Access to Internships scheme. In 2024/25, Exeter reported that 129 widening participation students undertook paid internships. Survey results showed that 90% of participants reported improvements in communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills, while 94% reported increased overall confidence.
These measurements help show whether programmes are producing practical benefits rather than simply counting participation.
Area | Exeter's reported approach | Example of impact |
Widening participation | Outreach and access programmes | 35,000 learners supported |
Exeter Scholars | Structured support for underrepresented learners | 2,500 students completed the programme |
Educational outreach | Workshops, visits and online activities | Around 360 pupils attend widening participation residentials each year |
Student development | Paid internships for eligible students | 129 students completed paid internships in 2024/25 |
The figures above come from University of Exeter reporting and illustrate how the University connects activities with measurable outcomes.
Students do not need to wait until graduation to contribute to social impact.
At Exeter, students can take part in activities that connect their education and skills with wider social needs. Student ambassadors, for example, help prospective students understand university life and can support widening participation objectives.
Students interested in innovation can also explore entrepreneurship and develop ideas that aim to solve real problems. The University’s recognition of social impact ventures shows that student-led ideas can be part of its wider impact culture.
Academic study can also contribute. Students working on research, projects or dissertations may explore issues connected to inequality, health, education, communities and other social challenges.
The key point is that social responsibility at Exeter is not limited to one department or one type of activity. It can be part of student life, academic work, research, outreach and innovation.
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For broader information about how universities can contribute to social mobility and education access, you can explore the QS World University Rankings resource. It provides useful context on how universities are assessed across wider areas of performance and impact.
The University of Exeter’s approach to social responsibility goes beyond individual projects. It combines widening participation, educational outreach, research, student innovation and measurable outcomes to address social challenges.
For prospective students, this shows that Exeter views education as more than earning a degree. Its wider goal is to create opportunities, support social mobility and use university knowledge to make a positive difference in society.
Explore more
Social innovation
Student entrepreneurship |
Social Impact recognised in the 2026 awards |
