Goal 4: Policies, processes and practices

The following page outlines specific policies, processes and practices in support of Sustainable Development Goal 4 Quality Education.

Public resources for lifelong learning

We provide a wide range of free educational resources and learning opportunities for members of the public who are not formally studying with us.

These initiatives support lifelong learning, community access to knowledge, and SDG 4 (Quality Education) by ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, can benefit from the University’s teaching, research and cultural assets.

Open access to our libraries and collections

Our John Rylands Research Institute and Library offers free public access to one of the world’s most important collections of books, manuscripts and archives. This historic library offers access to extensive collections, exhibitions, public events, and reading rooms for free. In addition to the main collections, members of the public can consult rare books, manuscripts, and archives within supervised reading rooms, supporting independent research and lifelong learning.

The John Rylands Learn programme welcomes school groups, adult learners and community organisations, helping people of all ages engage directly with primary sources and world-class research.

In addition, our Main Library visitor scheme enables local residents, independent researchers and alumni to access study spaces, printed materials and selected electronic resources for private research and lifelong learning.

Free online courses and open educational resources

We offer a growing portfolio of massive open online courses (MOOCs) through global learning platforms such as Coursera and FutureLearn.

These courses, covering topics like Global Health and the Sustainable Development Goals, The History of Science and Innovation in Manchester, and Climate Change and Sustainability, are free and open to anyone, anywhere in the world.

Free public lectures and community learning events

The University regularly hosts free lectures, seminars and festivals open to all. Our events calendar lists weekly opportunities to hear from leading researchers and community partners on science, culture, policy and sustainability. These sessions promote open dialogue between academics and the wider public, supporting inclusive lifelong learning across Greater Manchester.

Educational outreach activities

Our education-outreach programmes extend far beyond campus. Through initiatives such as the Great Science Share for Schools, IntoUniversity centres and The Works in Ardwick, we deliver tailored lessons, up-skilling, demonstrations and mentoring in local schools and communities. These activities, many led by staff and student volunteers, raise aspirations, build skills and support equitable access to higher education, advancing SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Our partnership with The Brilliant Club involves our PhD students delivering educational outreach seminars in local, non-selective state schools – to try widen access to the university. Through our student-led Access All Areas programme, students work with a range of schools and run projects to improve widening participation in higher education. Projects include:

• Reading Mentors: students volunteer in a local primary school to support pupils with their reading confidence and skills.
• Dentists in Primary Schools: dentistry students deliver workshops at local primary schools, focusing on topics such as ‘Correct Brushing Technique’, ‘The Structure of Teeth’ and ‘Visiting the Dentist’.
• Travelab: volunteers showcase engaging science experiments in local libraries to highlight the fun and benefits of studying STEM subjects in higher education.

Community educational events 

We host a varied programme of  lifelong learning events, public lectures, and community educational activities that are open to the general public throughout the year. These events make University research, culture, and expertise accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. Our Cultural Institutions, including the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester Museum, and the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, deliver a diverse range of public events, from gallery talks and creative workshops to lectures and performances. Examples include the weekly Art Babies sessions at the Whitworth, family learning programmes and the Wild Talks lecture series at Manchester Museum, and public exhibitions and research talks at the John Rylands Library. Programmed lifelong learning events take place during key awareness and engagement periods such as LGBT+ History Month, Black History Month, and International Women’s Day, showcasing research and discussions on equality, diversity, and social change.

Additionally, our flagship annual Universally Manchester Festival welcomes visitors to campus for a full day of interactive activities and workshops, opening up University research, science, and culture to local communities and families. The festival transforms the campus into an open learning space, where members of the public can engage with researchers and explore new ideas through hands-on demonstrations and creative learning experiences. The event also includes a series of public talks, many delivered by University of Manchester academics to share their research in accessible and engaging ways. For instance, Professor Sheena Cruickshank explores the myths and hype around immunity, while Professor David Olusoga examines the University’s historical links to slavery and the legacy of those connections.

We host a wide range of executive education programmes and vocational training courses that are open to the general public. These include:

Vocational and Continuing professional development (CPD) courses across our Faculties of Humanities, Science and Engineering, and Biology, Medicine and Health. Courses are flexible to ensure members of the public can balance short courses or individual courses around other commitments. Courses cover a wide range of subject areas including:

• Reliability Engineering and Asset Management (REAM), Condition Monitoring, and Materials Science short courses.
• Occupational Medicine, Advanced Clinical Assessment, Public Health, and Healthcare Ethics and Law CPD modules.
• Data Science and Digital Transformation training for professionals.

Our vocational-training offer includes Executive Education Short Courses delivered by Alliance Manchester Business School, covering leadership, digital transformation and sustainability; STEM and Digital-Skills Bootcamps run in partnership with local employers; and community arts and heritage workshops through our cultural institutions and Creative Manchester. These short courses and vocational programmes are open to individuals from across Greater Manchester, helping people up-skill and re-skill in line with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) development. For members of the public in organisations in the Third Sector, we additionally offer a free intensive executive-level learning and development programme called ‘Prometheus’.

Our University Language Centre offers evening and daytime classes in over 14 languages. These courses are open to all members of the public from beginner to advanced levels.

Additionally we host Nuffield Research Placements, which offer Year 12 students the opportunity to complete hands-on research projects at the University via 2-week or 5 day courses. Participants work alongside academics in science, engineering, computing, business, and quantitative social sciences, developing research and quantitative skills while gaining insight into higher education and STEM career pathways.

Lifelong learning policy 

Our Lifelong Learning approach forms part of the University’s wider Teaching and Learning and Social Responsibility Strategies. It commits us to provide inclusive learning opportunities throughout life, from short professional courses and executive education to community education and digital-skills outreach, ensuring that people of all backgrounds can continue to learn, retrain and engage with higher education.

Our policies ensure lifelong learning is accessible to all, regardless of ethnicity, religion, disability, immigration status, or gender, as outlined in our Flexible Learning Strategy (2022-2026). This policy makes clear that flexible learning has to address cultural barriers (p4), and inclusivity of all groups (p5, p7), including those with disabilities and gender or religious barriers.

We are committed to creating inclusive, accessible, and international lifelong flexible learning, preparing our graduates for an increasingly digital world that demands agility, creativity, and digital proficiency.

Our flexible learning approach focuses on establishing the right processes and infrastructure to embed a range of flexible education pathways, ensuring access to a Manchester education throughout a learner’s lifetime and promoting lifelong learning. Our Access and Participation Plan (2021-2025) outlines specific student groups (including race, gender, disability, and other protected characteristics) that are targeted for access to our initiatives throughout the student lifecycle (pages 13 and 14).

We offer language support through our Academic Success Programme, which assists individuals of various ethnicities, religions, and immigration statuses. Academic English can be challenging, even for native speakers, and our team of experienced tutors is here to help students use Academic English with accuracy and confidence.

Our prestigious Race Equality Chartermark demonstrates our public commitment to race equality across all activities involving staff and students, ensuring outreach and admissions remain accessible to people of all races. We also hold 15 Athena Swan Charters for Gender Equality, each of which embeds the promotion of gender equality in access to outreach activities.