Oxford and The Brilliant Club: inspiring the next generation of scholars

From inspiring science days for local schools to educational festivals for young people, targeted outreach programmes, the launch of a new online academic enrichment platform, and support for UK-wide access initiatives; across the collegiate University, Oxford is finding new and innovative ways to engage with talented students across the UK from all backgrounds.

Oxford colleges have worked with The Brilliant Club – a UK-wide charity that aims to improve opportunities for students from less advantaged backgrounds to access higher education – for a number of years, hosting ‘graduation’ ceremonies for hundreds of young students completing the Scholars Programme.

In 2024/25, twelve of Oxford’s colleges formally joined The Brilliant Club’s Scholars Programme, which connects state school pupils, aged 8 to 18, with PhD students who share their subject knowledge and passion for learning.

The scheme enables participants to experience university-style learning through seven in-school tutorials delivered to a small group of pupils by trained PhD tutors, usually based on their own research. The charity has built a community of over 1,200 tutors made up of current PhD students, early career researchers and PhD graduates.

The Scholars Programme introduces pupils to the world of academic research and is designed to help them build confidence, curiosity and a sense of belonging in higher education. It includes a challenging final assignment and for many the experience culminates in their own graduation celebration at one of the University’s colleges.

In 2024/25 more than 1,700 school pupils from Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bristol and London either worked with an Oxford researcher or attended a graduation event at an Oxford college.

Dr Matthew Williams, Access Fellow at Jesus College, has worked with The Brilliant Club for several years: ‘When I attend the ceremonies, I often hand out certificates and shake hands with the pupils, and we get some lovely feedback; things like, ‘I’d never have dreamt of setting foot in Oxford, let alone studying here.’ It all reinforces the message that these pupils are talented and should consider universities like Oxford among their options – it’s about shifting mindsets.’

The scheme, Dr Williams says, is also a valuable experience for Oxford’s PhD students who receive expert training to develop and hone their pedagogical skills, gain sustained teaching experience, develop research communication skills, and have an opportunity to communicate their research to a non-specialist audience.

Five Oxford PhD students took part in the programme in 2024-25, with specialisms ranging from genetics to archaeology and courses covering subjects as diverse as the healthy heart, the evolution of biodiversity, and neuroscience and AI. ‘Increasingly, PhD students are encouraged to think about public engagement and impact, and this helps them develop key communication skills — being able to explain complex ideas to a 15-year-old is a great test of understanding.’

Abby Williams, a PhD student in the Department of Biology, said, ‘During one of my first lessons we were looking at the animal evolutionary tree, and one of my students had a ‘lightbulb moment’ – we were discussing how humans are more closely related to starfish than insects, and the student said, ‘Miss, that’s really cool!’. That moment felt like a massive teaching win for me, and I hope that the student felt inspired to learn more about the natural world.’

David Horner, Head of University Partnerships at The Brilliant Club, said, ‘We are delighted to be working with researchers from the University of Oxford on The Scholars Programme. Our PhD tutors offer pupils from less advantaged backgrounds real insight into the world of academia and higher education. They teach subjects beyond the school curriculum and build important skills like oracy, self-efficacy and critical thinking. Most importantly, they are inspiring young minds through their love of learning, breaking down barriers to university access.’

Dr Williams says the partnership demonstrates how collaboration can deliver genuine impact; ‘Partnering with The Brilliant Club allows Oxford to make a tangible difference in the lives of young people while giving our own researchers meaningful opportunities to share their work. Through initiatives like this, Oxford continues to work with schools, colleges and charities across the UK to inspire the next generation of students to consider Oxford as a place for them.’

Find out more about Oxford University's access programmes - Oxford Access | University of Oxford.