Building on a collaboration originally formalised in 2018, this agreement strengthens the partners’ joint work on access and widening participation, student experience, and research and joint funding initiatives. Extending the partnership will see the two organisations expand their focus to include international student recruitment and the use of strategic sites in the city.

Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor and President, Newcastle University, said: “Newcastle United Foundation and Newcastle University play an important role in supporting our city and our region, and our collaboration highlights the importance of working together to maximise the support for people living in our community.

“Teaming up with Newcastle United Foundation also underpins our commitment to providing the best possible opportunities for our students’ academic and professional development and supporting our pioneering research to benefit society.” 

Steve Beharall, Head of Newcastle United Foundation, said: “Our partnership with Newcastle University is key to providing a range of opportunities to motivate and inspire people across the North East and uplifting generations of community members through our work.

“We are thrilled to be extending our partnership together, enabling us to enrich even more lives in the region through our unique teamwork, focusing on education, research and providing dedicated support and care for the next generation of students of all backgrounds from our area and all across the globe.” 

Collaborative initiatives

International student recruitment is one of the new areas of the collaboration. It is based on formulating a joint approach to recruiting and supporting international students who would come to Newcastle.

Developing collaborative initiatives across key sites, such as Newcastle HELIX and the new Campus for Ageing and Vitality, is another addition to the partnership. NUCASTLE, Newcastle United Foundation’s flagship new building, will play a central role in this strand of the partnership. Located at the former Murray House Recreational Centre, NUCASTLE is a world class facility for the people of Newcastle and beyond. It features three floors that provide the space communities need to learn, move, meet and play.

Access and Widening Participation remains a key aspect of the partnership and will involve the development of access and widening participation opportunities for schools, pupils and parents/carers in the region. The partners will build on their work across the region, as part of the Newcastle University-led North East Uni Connect Programme, with a particular focus on White Working Class Males as part of the Enterprise Challenge initiative.

The renewal signals the partners’ commitment to continuing to support the University’s Career Insights Programme, to help ensure the success and early career progression of students from under-represented groups. Newcastle United Foundation will work with the University Careers Service to support positive outcomes for widening participation graduates.

The research and joint funding initiatives strand aims to develop joint funding bids with a focus on social deprivation and health inequalities, particularly across the city but also the wider region. The partners will explore opportunities for joint PhD funding to focus on health inequalities and will continue to develop opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate level research projects.

Image (l-r) Steve Beharall, Head of Newcastle United Foundation; Brian Thorpe, Trustee, Newcastle United Foundation; Emma Stevenson, Professor of Sport and Exercise Science, Deputy Dean of Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University; Fraser Kennedy, Performance Sport Manager, Newcastle University; Professor Jane Robinson, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Engagement and Place, Newcastle University; Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor and President, Newcastle University. Photo: John Millard.