Impact Report 2023/24
Fuelled by a spirit of enterprise and belief in the power of opportunity
As the year comes to a close, we reflect on the moments that have brought us together and the milestones we’ve achieved as a community. The unwavering support of our benefactors — through your shared commitment to our mission — has made this progress possible. Thank you for helping foster a sense of purpose.
The spirit of shared purpose has always been a defining hallmark of our great university. Whether expressed through our commitment to inclusion, our belief in fairness and equality, or our pursuit of excellence in all we do, this ethos unites and drives us forward. Recently, this purpose has been encapsulated in the simple phrase: a University for the Public Good. But this is more than just a tagline — it embodies who we are and how we aspire to impact the world. It is this collective endeavour, this way of being, that will continue to shape our identity and ensure our future success.
2024 has been a challenging year for higher education in the UK and the University of York is no exception.
As the debate over university funding continues, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to creating opportunities for all and to advancing research to ameliorate inequalities across the globe. Today, 7.4 million people in the UK are held back from pursuing career or educational aspirations due to socioeconomic barriers. Put simply, now is the moment for our community to come together, fuelled by a spirit of enterprise and a steadfast belief in the power of opportunity. The year ahead may bring challenges, but it will also be rich with opportunities to innovate and to make a difference.
Throughout this report, you will find numerous examples of how philanthropy has helped us realise our vision of being a university for the public good. Your remarkable support ensures that York continues to be a place where every student feels a sense of belonging, empowered to succeed by embracing their differences rather than being disadvantaged because of them. Together, we are creating a university where opportunity, inclusion, and excellence are not just ideals but realities for all.
You are more than a supporter—you are a vital part of a collective united by purpose and driven to create meaningful change. Thank you for standing with us.
Charlie Jeffery
Vice-Chancellor and President
Removing Gaps in Opportunity
Closing gaps in education is both our mission and a strategic priority. We are committed to ensuring that all young people in our region can thrive, regardless of the barriers they face. By addressing resource disparities, enhancing access to education, and supporting skill development, we strive to create equitable opportunities for everyone.
University of Opportunity
In 2023/24 we set out our bold ambition to be the University of Opportunity in the UK. This new philanthropic initiative builds on all we achieved together through our first campaign, York Unlimited, and sets out our mission ahead.
Our goal is to remove all the gaps in support that students experience within:
Access: Getting to university
Success: Thriving whilst at university
Award: Achieving the best possible degree outcome
Progression: Opportunities post-graduation
In 2023/24, you got behind us in this mission, enabling us to support even more students to thrive at York. In our first year of supporting students through the University of Opportunity fund, your incredible generosity has meant:
- Over 25 students were supported by the Care Leaver Bursary and Accommodation Subsidy
- Over 100 students received the Estranged Student Bursary
- Over 120 students were supported by a York Opportunity Scholarship
- 200 York Futures scholarships were awarded, supporting students to gain valuable work-related experience
- Over 30 YuFund projects were funded, supporting students to take part in activities, foster community and thrive whilst they are here with us
Isabella (BA English), who received a bursary in support of their living and associated study costs, shares the impact your generosity has had:
“My first year couldn't really have gone better. And a lot of that has just come from having that relief from the financial support you’ve provided. I’ve had a chance to actually start figuring out who I am without the burden of financial concerns. It’s enabled me to actually live my life fully, for the first time.”
We will continue in 2024/25 to forge ahead in this mission, working with our students, frontline student support and our community to take meaningful steps towards ensuring there are no gaps to access, success, award and progression for any student regardless of their circumstance. Thank you so much for your support.
Mary talks about the impact of University of Opportunity below:
Supporting young people in our region
In 2024, amid the lingering impacts of the pandemic and the deepening cost-of-living crisis, child poverty rates in Yorkshire and the Humber have surged to their highest levels in over two decades. Now, more than ever, investing in young people is crucial—not only to support their growth and potential but also to secure the future prosperity of our region.
This year, your support has helped us to:
- Support 1,018 children in the Marfleet area of Hull through after-school sessions, focus weeks and campus visits at the Hull East IntoUniversity Centre, in partnership with IntoUniversity and the University of Hull
- Open 2 new IntoUniversity Centres in Grimsby and Bridlington, in partnership with IntoUniversity and the University of Hull
- Engage 350 young people in academic support and confidence-building activities at our new community space, The Place, in the heart of Westfield, York.
We are delighted that the Grimsby Centre has already been able to support 247 students, and the Bridlington Centre has supported 186 students.
2025 will see the official launch of the Bridlington and Grimsby IntoUniversity Centres, and new employability skills programming at The Place, further expanding its range of activities and engagement with local schools, providing opportunities for young people to explore their potential, gain valuable experience and workplace encounters.
Supporting the next generation of scientists
GenerationResearch provides paid and stipend-supported technical and research opportunities to talented UK students from diverse backgrounds, with a commitment to provide practical solutions to creating sustainable diversity in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths, and Medicine).
This year thanks to the generosity of donors and partner organisations, GenerationResearch supported 41 students to undertake summer studentships, covering projects on immunology, cancer, food security, basic biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, neglected tropical diseases, chemistry, nematology, plant science, engineering, and physics.
Aloka completed a GenerationResearch placement in summer 2024:
“Being able to have a paid opportunity over the summer has changed my perspective on research completely and it feels much more within reach and made it seem really accessible. Before that, I always thought you had to know someone in the industry beforehand. It's also built my networks and my connections who really encouraged us to just go for it and apply for things in the future.”
As well as supporting undergraduate students, we have also been able to additionally fund four new Masters by Research and two PhD projects.
This year GenerationResearch attracted summer applications from 560 undergraduate students across Yorkshire.
Dr. Jillian Barlow, Director of GenerationResearch shares these words:
“In 2021, we launched GenerationResearch at the University of York to provide authentic and paid research and technical opportunities. Thanks to you, 4 years later we have funded over 100 paid summer studentships to students from universities across Yorkshire and The Humber, widening access to science and research as a career.”
A Sustainable and equitable world
We are committed to addressing environmental, social, cultural, and economic challenges with empathy, championing human rights in our role as a University of Sanctuary. By sharing our multi-disciplinary research, we foster collaboration and create impactful solutions to tackle global challenges, together. Your support is helping us to continue this crucial work, at an even greater scale, providing hope, sanctuary and a brighter future for everyone.
York Sanctuary Fund
In 2023/24, we launched the York Sanctuary Fund, to enable even more York students, at-risk academics and Human Rights Defenders the chance to thrive and start a new phase in their lives, whatever their reasons for joining us.
This year, your support for the York Sanctuary Fund has:
- Provided 13 Equal Access Scholarships, supporting students seeking refuge in the UK to access a university education and find safety and sanctuary whilst they are here.
- Supported 12 Human Rights Defenders to participate in the Protective Fellowship Scheme at the Centre for Applied Human Rights.
Fawzia, Equal Access Scholar
Fawzia, Equal Access Scholar
“You have made possible what was once perceived as impossible. As an Afghan student, I faced financial and travel limitations that prevented me from attending a high-quality university like University of York. This scholarship enabled me to complete my master’s program that I couldn’t have without it, at a quality I had never imagined.
Equal Access means that you give opportunities to those people who really didn't have them. It changes people's lives around them, motivating other students, their friends, those who know them, and also their family, holding something for them. The opportunities now open to me following my time at York have further motivated me to continue my passion for making a positive impact and to work tirelessly towards achieving it.”
Sayed, (MA Conflict, Governance and Development) was supported by an Equal Access Scholarship in 2023/24
This academic year, your generosity is also enabling us to provide targeted support to students affected by the crisis in the Middle East, offering two students from Gaza an Equal Access Scholarship this academic year. We have also been able to help an alumnus of York who is a PhD candidate affected by the crisis in Gaza, working with the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA), who provide support to affected alumni and other at-risk academics.
We continue to offer Equal Access Scholarships support to other students seeking asylum at York, as well as providing bursaries for refugee students and dedicated advice and support for all sanctuary-seeking students and applicants. Read more about how York is responding to the crisis in Israel, Gaza and the Middle East.
Sustainability at York
In our research, collaboration through partnership is also unlocking more opportunities to address climate change, and explore sustainability with a global lens.
In December 2023, Dr. Anika N. Haque won the 2023 AXA Investment Managers Research Award. This partnership with AXA Investment Managers has supported Dr. Haque’s research targeting gender inequality in the face of climate change in the Global South, a powerful example of the power of research, philanthropy, and corporate partners coming together to deliver social good on a global scale.
Dr. Anika Haque
Dr. Anika Haque
We are also expanding the ways in which our supporters can give to the University, whilst supporting sustainability. In 2025 we will be launching the The York Impact Investment Initiative, providing our donors with opportunities to amplify the power of their philanthropy, while supporting our commitment to safeguarding the future of our planet.
Health and Wellbeing
Charlie speaking to Great York Walkers
Charlie speaking to Great York Walkers
Great York Walkers
Great York Walkers
Great York Walkers
Great York Walkers
SEND project contact card
SEND project contact card
Health and wellbeing is a key priority at York, with a focus on vital support for mental health and health sciences. With your support, we can build a healthier society and promote innovations that enhance lives locally, and worldwide.
Mentally Fit York
Throughout the year, our incredible York community has supported a huge number of initiatives and projects at York in so many ways. This includes the 110 people who took part in The Great York Walk 2024, walking up to 25 miles around our beautiful city for Mentally Fit York. Over 1,000 alumni have taken the time to talk to our wonderful team of student callers, and in some cases made a regular gift at the end of one of these conversations. Through your incredible support this year, you have helped us continue our support for mental health nursing students studying at York, as well as on-the-ground initiatives, and cutting-edge research.
This year, your support for Mentally Fit York has:
- Provided 6 Mental Health Nursing Scholarships to support the next generation of mental heath nurses to study at York and improve access to university education.
- Funded 10 Mentally Fit York projects. These projects lay the groundwork for innovative mental health research and accelerate the development of research findings into mental health policy and practice.
Supporting Parents and Carers of children with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)
The Supporting Parents and Carers of Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities project explores the mental health experiences of parents of children and young people (CYP) with SEND in the York area to help identify what mental health support parents would like to see in their community. Laura Fox, project lead for Supporting Parents and Carers of children with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), highlights how funding from Mentally Fit York has allowed her to bring her research project to fruition:
“Without the funding provided by Mentally Fit York, it is very unlikely that the project would have been able to run across the local region and would have been limited to very few voices. By highlighting the needs of this group of parents and carers at both local and national levels, we can better support their mental health. Thank you so much for supporting much-needed research into the mental health needs in our region.”
Institute for Mental Health Research
In the year ahead, we will also continue to support the Instute for Mental Health Research (IMRY), bringing together ambitious, enquiring academics and students with partners working at the forefront of mental health. In the last two months, IMRY has been instrumental in attracting funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to create a Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Research at the University of Hull.
We were also delighted to receive the news that York Professor, Simon Gilbody has been recognised in the top one per cent of the world’s most influential published scientists. Simon Gilbody, Professor of Psychological Medicine and Psychiatric Epidemiology, and his team are examining cost-effective methods for tackling depression and anxiety at work.
Spotlight: Yorkshire Macular Degeneration Fund
In October, we shared that world-renowned actress Dame Judi Dench has been appointed Patron of the Yorkshire Macular Degeneration Fund, an initiative focused on supporting research into vision loss and blindness. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss among older adults in the UK, affecting 700,000 people. Founded in 2023 by the University of York, in partnership with Hull York Medical School, the Yorkshire Macular Degeneration Fund supports cutting-edge research to improve diagnosis and treatment for AMD. Already, thanks to the growing number of generous supporters, we’ve been able to fund two full-time research positions. In the year ahead and with Dame Judi’s support, the fund hopes to drive more contributions toward research that could help improve the lives of those affected by AMD.
Find out more about the Macular Degeneration Fund and how you can help advance groundbreaking research at York.
Lina Gega speaking at an event
Lina Gega speaking at an event
Dame Judi Dench
Dame Judi Dench
Entrepreneurial and Responsible Leadership
Kiran Trehan and colleagues at an Enterprise Works event
Kiran Trehan and colleagues at an Enterprise Works event
Northern Powerhouse Ethnic Minority Business Barometer event at the House of Lords
Northern Powerhouse Ethnic Minority Business Barometer event at the House of Lords
Attendees at an Enterprise Works event
Attendees at an Enterprise Works event
At York, we have a strong sense of civic duty and responsibility to support the next generation of leaders. Our commitment to the public good underpins everything that we do, including empowering our students to develop their own skills as the ethical leaders of tomorrow, and nurturing future entrepreneurs who will transform industries and push innovation to new heights.
Through our entrepreneur hub, Enterprise Works, between July 2023 and July 2024 we have supported 419 businesses to receive funding, delivered in partnership with Barclays Eagle Labs, made possible thanks to the support of our donors.
We have also supported 10 students to launch their own businesses with our dedicated Student Enterprise support, through Summer Accelerator grants supported by Santander Universities UK.
Enterprise Works are also leading the way regionally and nationally in helping to inform and shape policy for a more equitable, inclusive and thriving business environment. June 2024 saw the launch of the Northern Powerhouse Ethnic Minority Business Barometer at the House of Lords, and locally, a new report identified that better support for women entrepreneurs could generate £2.6bn for our region, underpinned by research led by Professor Kiran Trehan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise, Partnerships and Engagement at the University of York.
We celebrated exceptional entrepreneurial achievements at the 2024 Enterprise Awards, recognising businesses and individuals driving economic growth, innovation, and social impact in York and North Yorkshire.
This year, we launched the York & North Yorkshire Social Impact Accelerator to support and drive the growth of social enterprises, fostering innovation and creating lasting community impact. The program equips social entrepreneurs with the skills, knowledge, and resources needed to scale their ventures. By fostering collaboration and addressing key challenges, it aims to strengthen the region's social enterprise ecosystem.
This year, we also launched our Entrepreneurs Pledge to enable entrepreneurs to connect with each other, and support the University in a meaningful way at key moments in their business journey.
Another highlight this year was leading an entrepreneurial workshop at HMP Askham Grange, empowering prisoners with skills to develop business ideas and address societal challenges.
In the coming year we’ll be sharing more about our Founder Advisory Board which will connect high-growth business leaders with experienced entrepreneurs and industry experts. Participants receive tailored, practical solutions to key challenges in areas like finance, marketing, and operations to enable business growth.
Spotlight: Human Rights Leadership Incubator
The University of York’s UNESCO HRD Hub, supported by a grant from the Open Society Foundations, is developing research and training to build leadership capacities and support for human rights defenders, activists and academics. Find out more about their work and listen to the Human Rights Leadership Podcast Series.
Groundbreaking Research and Partnerships at York
By cultivating strong partnerships and working hand-in-hand with communities across the globe, we uncover cultural insights, monitor societal transformations, and craft solutions that respond to economic and global challenges. Your support is helping to answer some of society’s biggest questions, and together, improving the lives of people around the world.
Throughout the 23/24, we continued to build on our strong relationships with our corporate and charitable partners to deliver exciting and world-changing research. We were delighted to welcome over 25 partners to campus to visit the projects and people they support as well as co-deliver a host of events across the UK with two particular highlights being the hosting of the 25th anniversary of The Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture at St Paul’s Cathedral last summer and the launching of the Candlelighters Supportive Care Research Centre.
Some highlights of the year include working with the Morrell Trust to support Professor Kate Pickett in establishing a home at York for the Born in Bradford Centre for Social Change; securing funding from the Lloyd's Bank Foundation and The Legal Education Foundation for the Administrative Fairness Lab for their work focused on making welfare processes fairer for benefit claimants across the UK and working with AXA Investment Managers to fund research targeting gender inequality in the face of climate change in the Global South.
Here in York, Thin Ice Press has now moved into new space in York City Centre thanks to the 220 donors who helped to secure a new home for the York Centre for Print, opening up the world of print research to a wider audience.
St Paul's Cathedral where we celebrated 25 years of the Centre for the Study of Christianity & Culture
St Paul's Cathedral where we celebrated 25 years of the Centre for the Study of Christianity & Culture
Yorkshire children's cancer charity Candlelighters
Yorkshire children's cancer charity Candlelighters
Thin Ice Press
Thin Ice Press
The Borthwick Institute for Archives at York
The Borthwick Institute for Archives at York
Outside of research we have created a coalition of corporate partners, public sector and voluntary sector representatives to form the ‘Pride of Place Board’ in partnership with Aviva, to tackle social inequality and improve educational outcomes in York and the wider region. This ambition is echoed through our fundraising for four community-embedded learning centres; The Place in Chapelfields (York), and three IntoUniversity centres in Hull, Bridlington and Grimsby. We have worked with a wide range of funders this year, including the Foyle Foundation to help acquire the Galton and Simpson Archive - further cementing York as the home of the golden era of British comedy. Our work in supporting greater access and participation continues apace alongside key partners including the Aziz Foundation, the Cowrie Foundation, Santander, the Wolfson foundation and several others.
To find out more about the world of research at York, come along to one of our events! York Talks (January 2025) is our annual public event showcasing research stories from across the University, and the York Festival of Ideas will once again return in June 2025, with hundreds of free events and activities across the city of York and online.
Leaving a legacy
Ana Pau, University of York
Ana Pau, University of York
Allen Samuels
Allen Samuels
By choosing to leave a legacy to York, you can create opportunities for future generations of York students to study with us, such as Ana Paula, who was able to pursue a master’s in Social and Public Policy in 2023/24 thanks to the Maria Bourboulis Scholarship.
Originally from Greece, Maria Bourboulis graduated in 1989. She felt strongly that the University of York gave her a great foundation for the rest of her professional life. Having studied Social Work at the University of York, Maria left a legacy gift in her will to support talented postgraduate students in the Department of Sociology or the Department of Social Policy and Social Work.
“I want to say thank you to the University of York and especially for the legacy gift of Maria Bourboulis for this opportunity. I hope I can continue your legacy and advocate for more women like me to be able to fulfil their studies in the future and to never give up on their dreams.”
In other legacy news this year, the late Allen Samuels bequeathed a generous gift to the University of York of over £1 million which will be used to remove barriers to access and enhance opportunities for less advantaged students. Allen’s generosity represents a significant stride toward realising the University of Opportunity’s mission, which is fundamentally about removing gaps that exist for students and creating pathways for their success.
Choosing to leave a gift in your will, like Allen Samuels or Maria Bourboulis, is pivotal in advancing our ambition of becoming the University of Opportunity. These contributions will help shape a more equitable academic landscape, ensuring that future generations of students can thrive regardless of their backgrounds.
The Legacy Team also ran, in partnership with Crombie Wilkinson, a highly successful will-writing and estate-planning webinar. In fact, this was the most well-attended Alumni event of 2024! The next event will be held on January 23, 2025 and includes important updates on pensions and Inheritance Tax following the last budget. If you would like to attend, please register your place.
If you would like to find out about the many ways you can help us to continue our work and support students and researchers at the University of York by leaving a gift in your will, please email our Legacy Manager, Maresa Bailey, at maresa.bailey@york.ac.uk.
The year ahead
There’s lots to look forward to in 2025 - here are just a few of the events and activities coming up in the months ahead:
Special events
- Our next online YuPlan will-writing and estate-planning webinar is on January 2025 - Book your place
- Our Annual Supporter Reception is taking place on 29th January 2025 in London - Book your place
Sports and activities
- York Challenge Week will be taking place from 9am Saturday 8th to 9pm Sunday 16th March
- The Great York Walk will be taking place on Saturday 17th May 2025
Inspiring research and open talks
- YorkTalks January 2025
- York Festival of Ideas 31 May - 13 June 2025
We are also looking forward to launching our brand new Alumni platform, York For Life, in 2025.
Thank you
All of these activities and milestones show that with the power of community coming together, every small action and gift counts, and together we can make a transformative difference.
Thank you to all of our incredible donors, volunteers, and supporters. Your commitment and generosity is making a real impact, helping students succeed and investing in a bright future for all.
Keep up to date with the latest news, events, and impact on our York Unlimited webpages.
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