First Generation Scholars Network

What is the First Generation Scholars Network?

The First Generation Scholars network aims to celebrate and promote the achievements of people who are the first generation in their family to go to University or are from families, schools or communities where going to university is not the norm. The network also provides the extra support First Generation Scholars may need to negotiate University life and get the most from their time at Durham. We aim to have a contact person in each college and department who students can email any time with queries or concerns, and who will also help organise a termly get-together for First Generation Scholars. If you are a First Generation Scholar or would like to know more, please get in contact with your college or department contact, or email the network convenors. You can also join the student-run Facebook group Durham's First Generation Scholars.

Why has it been set up?

Durham University seeks to create an open and inclusive environment as a central pillar of its University Strategy. The First Generation Scholars network is to support this goal by helping the University to promote inclusive, diverse communities where all students can reach their full potential, both academically and in terms of their wider student experience. Emerging and anecdotal evidence suggests that first generation scholars are sometimes at a disadvantage compared to other students in terms of academic preparation for University, and don’t always have the same degree of cultural ‘know-how’ as people who come from families where attending University has become a normal expectation.