Sir Graham Brady, MP for Altrincham and Sale West, and Chair, Conservative Party 1922 Committee, visited University Academy 92 (UA92) last Friday (4 February) to discuss higher education opportunities across the North West,
The visit came as the Government released it’s long-awaited Whitepaper on Levelling Up, which focused heavily on educational equality across the North, and promised extra funding and support for six of the 10 Greater Manchester boroughs, named as Education Investment Areas.
Based in Old Trafford, UA92 opened in 2019 and aims to make higher education accessible to all, through its founding principles of accessibility, social mobility and inclusivity.
The institution offers a portfolio of degree and higher education courses across business, sport, media and digital disciplines, preparing students for the world of work by offering industry-led courses.
Working in partnership with leading names including Microsoft, TalkTalk, KPMG and Manchester United, students benefit from mentors, guest lectures and work experience opportunities, in addition to character and personal development guidance, and financial support beyond traditional scholarships and government loans.
It currently serves over 400 students, over 70% of whom are from the Greater Manchester region.
Sir Graham Brady, MP, who oversees UA92’s neighbouring constituency of Altrincham and Sale West, visited on Friday afternoon for a tour of the institution’s campus, including its media centre, and to meet with CEO, Sara Prowse, and the facility’s students.
Sara Prowse, who was appointed CEO of UA92 in May 2021, said “We’re very proud of how quickly UA92 has established itself as a leader in higher education within the region. We believe that to truly reflect our community, we need to provide support for those living within it to access and benefit from higher education qualifications.
“We have launched a number of key initiatives, including our Make It For Real campaign, over the past 12 months to support hard-to-reach students and those from disadvantaged backgrounds and we will continue in our mission to make higher education accessible for all.
“I was pleased to discuss these initiatives and the wider Levelling Up agenda with Sir Graham on Friday, and believe that by working together we can better serve young people across Greater Manchester.”
Sir Graham Brady MP said, “I very much enjoyed visiting UA92, seeing the impressive facilities and meeting some very engaged students.
“From a standing start, UA92 has already grown into an important part of higher education provision: attracting talented students from less traditional backgrounds around Greater Manchester and increasingly, from further afield. I look forward to seeing UA92 continue to go from strength to strength.”
