GATEWAY Project

The GATEWAY Project is the School of Art, Design, and Architecture’s flagship project for access and participation
Multi coloured reaching hands.

The GATEWAY Project is the School of Art, Design, and Architecture’s flagship project for access and participation.

The aim is to deliver inclusivity and diversity activities which:

  • Highlight diversity and inclusion within the university.
  • Attract and support a wider range of students.
  • Provide diversity and inclusion resources and training to students and staff.
  • Can be evaluated against the School's APP objectives.
The project takes a collaborative approach to developing initiatives working with the University of Plymouth’s staff and students alongside industry partners Simon Hamilton from Simon Hamilton Creative and Diversity Business Incubator (DBI) in Plymouth.

A diverse group of people studying on campus using books, paper and and tablets

Our aim is to change our operating logic and embed values and behaviours that will support and celebrate a diverse and inclusive creative culture within the University and provide content to form the core of our marketing activities.

Working with partners from across industry and the community, the project is a journey to explore what diversity means and how we can support, encourage, promote, and celebrate it through our creative practices.

This collaborative approach to developing a diverse and inclusive culture asks everyone “how can you help?”. 

The student and staff focus groups have delivered fantastic insight into the experience, attitudes, ideas and aspirations.

The initiative will develop strategies around three key pillars, communication, creative practice, and training and support, which emerged from research collected during our focus groups with the University of Plymouth’s students and staff.

Outcomes to be developed:

Communication

  • Raising awareness
  • Outreach to schools and colleges
  • Engagement with communities at a local, national, and international level

Would you like to arrange a visit to see our facilities and meet our students and staff?


Creative practice

  • Exploring the theme of diversity through the shared theme modules
  • Celebration of our creative diversity through events

Would you like to work with us on a project, set up an internship, or attend one of our events?


Training and support

  • Providing resources

Would you like to create a lecture or workshop, review portfolios, hold a mock interview, or mentor students?

Contact jonathan.forster@plymouth.ac.uk to get involved.

The GATEWAY team