Linking London Uni Connect Update - February 2026
February 2026 update from Uni Connect.
Our collaborative BTEC Transition Project launches on 6 February, with the first session taking place at City of Westminster College’s Willesden Campus, delivered by Birkbeck, University of London. This initiative brings together several of our partner colleges and universities and aims to explore whether targeted, supportive interventions for BTEC students can increase uptake of higher education courses and improve progression once students are at university.
Last week, we also held a discussion forum with all partners to reflect on findings from recent focus groups and interviews conducted by Karen Roberts (London South Bank University), our lead institution. Key themes from this feedback included the significant influence of parents on students’ decision-making, the need for a stronger focus on study skills before students transition to university, and the importance of supporting students to choose the course that best suits them. These insights will now inform the development of our upcoming workshops.
Kick Start Sport also marked an exciting milestone with its first university visit, as students from Barnet and Southgate College attended the University of West London to explore its sports facilities. Thirty BTEC Sport students took part in a full day of activities, learning about careers and courses in sport and engaging in interactive sessions designed to showcase the wide range of opportunities within the sports sector. These students are also being visited by academics at UEL this week to discuss career paths in the sports sector.
We delivered our first CPD session for careers staff, featuring a subject spotlight on Psychology. The session was led by Dr Bianca Serwinski, Head of Psychology and Associate Professor in Psychology at Northeastern University London, who explored:
- Key recent developments in Psychology and how these are shaping undergraduate curricula
- Employability prospects for Psychology graduates and typical graduate destinations
A recording of the session is available to watch via the link here.
Looking ahead, our next collaborative webinar will take place on 25 February and will focus on Demystifying University for Parents. To register, please follow the link here.