The Hartcliffe and Withywood Micro-campus, run by the University of Bristol, is a unique initiative working with the local community and partner organisations to bring university-run activities and opportunities to an area that has been traditionally underserved.
It's based at the Gatehouse Centre - a well-established and thriving community hub, operated by Hartcliffe and Withywood Ventures (HWV) which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.
The Minister is particularly interested in a new accredited micro-qualification being developed by the University and HWV and will be co-designed with the community, students, and employers. The project received £178,000 funding from the Office for Student’s Equality in Higher Education Innovation Fund earlier this year.
The aim is to offer a distilled version of the university experience that works for people in the local area and supports them in seeking further employment or study opportunities. It will be designed and delivered in a way which fits flexibly around people’s other commitments and needs no prior qualifications.
Both the Hartcliffe and Withywood micro-campus and the University’s existing micro-campus at the Wellspring Settlement in Barton Hill, established in 2020 and now used by over 160 people every week, support the Government’s priorities to improve access and participation among communities who traditionally don’t engage with higher education.
Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said: "This is a fantastic initiative and a great example of innovative community engagement to boost access and participation.
"I am proud to say government has helped to fund the new micro-campus, which will bring valuable skills training to a deprived part of Bristol, giving those who might not have had the opportunity the chance to access university education.
"It's great to see universities championing this sort of initiative, and we will be reforming the higher education system through our forthcoming Post-16 and Skills White Paper, where access, participation and breaking down barriers to opportunity will be one of our key priorities for higher education."
The micro-campuses are in two of the three Bristol postcodes with the lowest rates of participation in higher education nationally. They provide a full range of university activities, co-designed with local communities and partners.
The Hartcliffe and Withywood Micro-campus has already hosted drop-in sessions offering pet advice, a menopause cafe with researchers and GPs working with people who are experts-by-experience, and a history project exploring the legacies of tobacco factories in South Bristol. While the Barton Hill micro-campus has partnered with 58 local and national organisations in the past year, running regular activities such as Power Education’s Homework Clubs and the ‘Little Library’ every Tuesday, both of which began after requests from local people.
The micro-campuses will form part of a network of civic spaces linked to the University’s new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (TQEC) in 2026, which represents a once-in-a-generation reimagining of the University’s place in the city-region.
TQEC will include the Bristol Rooms, a signature space for staff and students to work with partners of all kinds on shared challenges, and the Story Exchange, a round space for conversations between people with different backgrounds and forms of expertise.
Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol, said: "The opening of our new micro-campus in Hartcliffe marks a significant step in our mission to make higher education truly accessible to everyone, regardless of background or previous experience. By working hand-in-hand with the local community and partners like Hartcliffe and Withywood Ventures, we’re creating opportunities that are shaped by and for the people of South Bristol.
"This is about more than just education - it’s about empowerment, aspiration, and building a future where everyone can thrive."
Professor Tom Sperlinger, Academic Lead for Engagement at the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, said: "The micro-qualifications we’ll be offering with HWV are truly unique as they’re being developed in partnership with the people who we want them to benefit – both the learners and employers. They’re also standalone qualifications, rather than a taster course that leads to a degree, although they can also serve that purpose.
"It’s great to get support from the Government for our work. We look forward to continuing discussions around our future work with civic and community partners at the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus to tackle shared challenges for the city-region."
Lisa Mundy, Strategic Director – Internal Operations for HWV, said: "We are excited to celebrate the official opening of the University of Bristol's Hartcliffe and Withywood Micro-campus. We are pleased to welcome Baroness Smith to visit the Gatehouse Centre and proud to share what we do here to support - widening access to learning and education in our local community. We look forward to working with the University in becoming part of that community."
Karin Smyth, MP for Bristol South, said: "I was delighted to join Skills Minister Jacqui Smith to open the University of Bristol’s micro-campus at the Gatehouse Centre today.
"This is a fantastic investment for people in Hartcliffe and Withywood which will give them the opportunity to develop their skills and further their careers.
"This comes after the Government’s announcement of a £20 million fund for this area as well as the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer which is already helping young people in Bristol South into work and training."