The people who will gain most from higher education often can’t access it, so Sysmax provides scholarships for students at the University of Leeds

As a company, we appreciate the benefits of education to people's life chances. Often, our focus is on lifelong learning and personal development in the workplace. But to have a good grounding and a first foot on the career ladder, it certainly helps to have a solid academic education. However, we know that the very people who stand to gain the most from higher education are often those who struggle to access it. It might be because the school they went to is in an area of high deprivation or has little track record of placing students in university. They might be the first in their family to consider going to university, so be unsure about which options to explore. Or they might find the prospect of the financial outlay required for tuition fees and living expenses to be daunting. In this blog, we will look at how we're helping one academic institution overcome these barriers.

The University of Leeds is committed to making a world of difference

The University of Leeds is one of the UK's top academic institutions, ranked at 16 in the 2021 UK league table (Source). And in the QS World University Rankings, it sits at number 91 within the top 100 universities of the world (Source). As part of its Making a World of Difference campaign launched in 2010, Leeds has been providing support for students who otherwise may not have participated in university at all. And the university has extended the scheme to its Masters programmes too, given barriers to participation persist for postgraduate students.

With support from individuals and companies, the University of Leeds is determined to help as many young people as possible to succeed. A gift can help to level the playing field so that scholars can achieve as much as they can academically and make the most of their time at university. Indeed, students supported by scholarships out-perform their peers. From the university's own statistics, 88% of undergraduate scholars left with a First or Upper Second degree in 2019 (compared to 86% of total students). It really is a question of finding and supporting the brightest minds. That's the challenge to which Sysmax has responded.

Changing young lives for the better

Sysmax has provided scholarships to students at the University of Leeds since the 2017-18 academic year, and it’s already made a difference to young lives. Our focus has been on supporting students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths). We've been impressed by the support that the university offers to scholars, which goes beyond their studies through the Plus Programme. This provides tailored help such as workshops to develop studying and writing skills, social events, and wellbeing and careers guidance. We've had some incredible feedback from the students we've supported over the past four years:

“The financial assistance you have provided me has enabled me to focus on my studies without having to hold down a job”. “Being the first person in my family to go to university can be scary at times, having no one in my family to turn to for advice. However, now I can encourage and inspire my younger siblings to take this amazing opportunity too.” Students in Mathematics, and Aeronautical & Aerospace Engineering.

Would you consider becoming an individual or corporate sponsor? As our CEO, Peter McAteer puts it: 

“If other companies could see the impact that this support can have on young less-privileged people, it may help to create more sponsorships.”

We'd encourage others to meet this challenge head-on. Whether you're an individual or represent a corporate entity, you can find out more about the University of Leeds scholarship programme here.

“What you do by providing students like me with assistance is truly great. I personally have not had to worry about purchasing study materials and simply surviving day-to-day.” STEM Student at University of Leeds

To find out more about why Sysmax is passionate about supporting young talent, contact one of the team today.

• Visit: www.sysmax.com
• Email info@sysmax.com

Post by Marc Bates, Head of Marketing, Sysmax

Marc leads the marketing and communication strategy at Sysmax and oversees the development of our website. Marc’s focus is on demonstrating the rich history of the Sysmax team, and how together they have developed products that resolve real-world issues for businesses, improving performance and reducing risks.