What is Seren?

Seren is the Welsh Government’s flagship initiative supporting more able and talented learners in schools and colleges across Wales to access quality higher education opportunities in Wales, across the UK and around the world.
Seren is made up of the following distinct areas of support for young people across Wales: Seren Academy, Seren Foundation, Seren International, and Seren Graduates.

New Seren collaborations for 2022

Professional Learning Programme for Educators

Through this programme, launched in March 2022, we’re supporting teachers across Wales to better support More Able & Talented (MAT) learners, through a series of live training sessions & workshops and on demand content made available from a wide range of partners including leading universities and leaders in the field of widening access.

To get involved, please get in touch with Lindsey Dawson, Senior Associate STEM & Professional Learning lindsey.dawson@equaleducationpartners.com

 

Seren Space | Gofod Seren – Digital Platform

The Seren Space digital platform, launching in September 2022, will be the online home of the Seren programme for all learners, educators and partners involved in the Welsh Government’s flagship initiative to improve access to competitive higher education destinations for Wales’ brightest young people. This platform will streamline our running of the programme, further expand the opportunities available to young people and enhance our ability to measure and optimise our impact over time.

To find out more, contact Lois Williams, Project Manager (Higher Education), lois.williams@equaleducationpartners.com.

 

Seren University Admissions Mentoring

The Seren University Admissions Mentoring Programme supports learners through 3 main streams: Oxbridge, International and Subject Specific. The aim of the programme is to support learners with their applications to top universities, whichever their stream of choice. Learners receive tailored 1 to 1 mentoring from current or recent undergraduate students from their university and subject of interest. This focuses on personal statements, admissions tests, interview prep and life at university.

To get involved, please get in touch with Lindsey Dawson, Senior Associate STEM & Professional Learning lindsey.dawson@equaleducationpartners.com

Seren International Opportunities

Seren International Online Summer School

The Seren International Online Summer School initiative built in partnership with Jesus College at the University of Oxford enrolled over 100 learners in 2020 and 300 learners in 2021. In 2022, the Seren International Online Summer School will support 400 learners across Wales. To find out more, contact Lois Williams, Project Manager (Higher Education), by emailing lois.williams@equaleducationpartners.com

 

International Study Mentoring Programme

Through this programme, launched in February 2022, we’re supporting first year Seren Academy learners (those in year 12 or their first year at a further education college) across Wales to explore the possibilities for studying internationally. This is being done through a series of live sessions, one-to-one mentoring and on demand content made available from a wide range of partners including leading universities, university admissions specialists, and Seren graduates studying overseas.

To get involved (as a mentor or mentee), please get in touch with Lindsey Dawson, Senior Associate STEM & Professional Learning, lindsey.dawson@equaleducationpartners.com

Seren Partnering with Welsh Universities

Prifysgol Aberystwyth University

We collaborated with Aberystwyth University to offer the first Seren summer school in Wales, and the first summer school for Seren Foundation learners in July 2022. The summer school saw 66 learners attending a 3-day programme around the theme of Climate Literacy and provided them with an opportunity to gain invaluable insight to what it’s like to be a university student.

We are building upon this programme to offer an even better programme for Seren learners in summer 2023! Keep an eye out for application details coming soon.

For details contact Lois Williams, HE Partnerships Manager by emailing lois.williams@equaleducationpartners.com.

 

Collaborations with all other Welsh universities

Seren is committed to supporting universities in Wales and we are building upon existing relationships with the excellent Higher Education Institutions that are on our doorstep to offer summer schools at each Welsh university over the next three years. Our pilot collaboration with Aberystwyth University was the first step in developing this exciting programme which offers Seren Foundation learners an insight into university life, and provides them with an opportunity to deepen their intellectual curiosity with rigorous academic sessions.

Planning for this programme of summer schools is well underway – expect details about our summer 2023 programmes soon!

For details contact Lois Williams, HE Partnerships Manager by emailing lois.williams@equaleducationpartners.com.

Seren Past Partnerships

Seren-Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) Partnership

Between 2018 and 2021, through a co-funded scholarship established through Equal between the Welsh Government and YYGS at Yale University, 116 Welsh sixth form learners attended the Yale Young Global Scholars residential programme in New Haven (USA), at the Yale Center in Beijing (China), or online.

In 2022, due to the ongoing uncertainties caused by the pandemic, Seren is not running any international residential summer schools. Students are encouraged to apply to the Seren International Online Summer School, the Seren Jesus College Oxford Residential Summer School and other summer opportunities created by Seren in collaboration with Welsh and other UK universities.

Seren Harvard Summer School Scholarship

In 2019, 23 Seren learners were supported to attend the Harvard Summer School on campus at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

In 2022, due to the ongoing uncertainties caused by the pandemic, Seren is not running any international residential summer schools. Students are encouraged to apply to the Seren International Online Summer School, the Seren Jesus College Oxford Residential Summer School and other summer opportunities created by Seren in collaboration with Welsh and other UK universities.

Some numbers

17
Number of top universities worldwide represented by our summer school instructors
708
Learners supported to attend the International Online summer school with instructors from top universities
250+
Academic sessions delivered in the Seren International Online Summer School in 2022

Latest News

Check out some of our latest updates below! For guidance and resources click here