Who are we?
Our mission is to support aspiration, create equal opportunities, and deliver impact. This mission underpins our 2023-2027 Strategy and is central to our Access and Participation Plan (APP).
UON and APP
We focus on creating social impact, recognised globally. From 2021-2023, we ranked in the top 30 universities in the Times Higher Education Impact Awards for reducing inequalities. Our 2022/2023 Social Impact Report highlights over £21 million in impact, largely benefiting students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
We pride ourselves on our diverse student community, fostering inclusivity and supporting students to achieve their aspirations in an equitable learning environment.
We host approximately 14,400 students (2021/22), with two-thirds undergraduates and one-third postgraduates. Our student body includes:
- 40% from Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) backgrounds
- 49% from IMD Quintiles 1/2
- 66% female
- 13% with a declared disability
- 38% with a parent holding a higher education qualification
- 40% commuting over 7km to campus
Figure 1: UON compared to Northamptonshire: Population by Ethnicity. (Census 2021)
Long description: A chart showing UON compared to Northamptonshire: Population by Ethnicity. In Northamptonshire (outer ring) the White population is 85.7% compared to 14.3% GEM. Whereas at UON, the White population is 60.7% compared to 39.3% GEM.
Many of our students balance learning with family, work, and other responsibilities. Our student population is primarily from the Midlands and Greater London, with a significant international cohort. We celebrate our diversity and champion the cultural, social and economic value it brings to our institution and county as a whole.
Our Student Support
Mental health is a growing concern in all universities, and we highlight it as a risk to equality of opportunity. We have a robust student support system, including the Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) program and a dedicated Student Mental Health and Counselling Service, celebrating 25 years of service.
We emphasise the importance of student involvement in shaping their learning experiences. Initiatives like the Black Student Advocates program and Student Equality Consultants demonstrate our commitment to empowering students.
Learning and Teaching
Our academic provision is organized into three faculties: Arts, Science and Technology, Business and Law, and Health, Education and Society. We employ an active and blended learning approach, combining face-to-face and digital learning.
Our teaching philosophy focuses on small, interactive group teaching, promoting creativity and problem-solving and our Integrated Learner Support (ILS) model ensures students receive comprehensive support throughout their academic journey.
Our most recent Teaching Excellence Framework award was silver, with student outcomes and experiences rated as high quality. The APP outlines our path to achieving TEF Gold through continuous improvement.