Social responsibility
At Birmingham City University we are committed to transforming students’ lives and enhancing opportunity through education and advancement. We play a key role in supporting the economy and public sector in Birmingham and the West Midlands, as the University for the city of Birmingham.
Whether developing research to enable people to lead healthier lives, decrease bullying in schools or helping talented children in South Africa reach their musical potential, Birmingham City University undertake a wide variety of work to ensure that we operate as a socially responsible University.
On Monday 17 September 2018 we announced that staff had voted for Acorn’s Children’s Hospice and Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid to be the University’s Chosen Charities. Find out more.
Arco Project
Arco provides regular distance-learning opportunities for talented children in South Africa.
Arco >>
Literacy tutors scheme
Students from the University have been working with schools in Birmingham and the West Midlands to help young learners to improve their reading skills.
Literacy tutors scheme >>
School Governors
University staff act as school governors in schools in the city and region, many of which are in deprived areas and require enhanced governance support.
School Governors >>
Our activities
Improving public health with till receipt research
A new traffic light system which uses till receipts to display nutritional information for an entire supermarket shop could revolutionise the way we buy food, say academics at Birmingham City University.
The system shows the total data for calories, sugar, fat and salt in a person’s shopping basket and highlights the total in a green, amber or red colour to help people make healthier choices about their food.
It would allow people to see instantly if their regular food shops are too high in certain elements, meaning they can tailor future shopping trips to reduce potentially harmful intakes.
Training Rwanda’s next generation of researchers
An academic from Birmingham City University has been working with PhD students at the University of Rwanda (UR) to help them advance academic research in the East African country and the wider region.
Senior Lecturer Dr Peter Samuels previously volunteered at UR in 2016 and 2017 before returning in December last year to teach a group of doctoral researchers on a trip made possible with an International Credit Mobility from Erasmus+.
Developing best practice around anti-bullying
The anti-bullying conference was a collaborative venture with Birmingham City University (BCU) and the Bullying Reduction Action Group (BRAG) which was supported by Birmingham City Council. Many participating schools and research from across the region were involved. The event was a great success as professionals worked together to share and enhance good practice.
A stress-busting park for Birmingham
‘Tranquillity in the Park’ – aims to relax users in a safe space, with dense trees that block out traffic noises, fully accessible semi-ornamental gardens and seating arranged in a semicircle shape to encourage greater interaction among visitors.
The project was managed and completed by Bordesley Village Community Association (BVCA), who collaborated with Birmingham City University to secure £14,000 from the Department for Communities and Local Government, with a further £10,000 awarded from the Greggs Foundation.
Langar on campus
Students from Birmingham City University have proved there is such thing as a free lunch after serving up more than 500 free meals as part of an important Sikh tradition.
Langar’, meaning kitchen in Punjabi, is an important institution in Sikhism, where free food is offered to anyone who attends. Langar has been held at Birmingham City University for the third year running.
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