Outreach

Outreach

Many of our researchers independently engage in outreach activities, such as for their local schools or at our local museums. We have a close relationship with the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and the Oxford Botanic Garden, who both run superb activities for families and young people which our researchers often contribute to. We have also contributed to festivals like the Oxford Science and Ideas Festival.

As a Department, we run the Biology UNIQ Summer School each year. UNIQ is the University of Oxford’s access programme for UK state school students; they prioritise places for students with good grades from backgrounds that are under-represented at Oxford and other universities. See the UNIQ tab for more information.

Schools

The University's MPLS Division, which Biology is part of, puts on a Primary Science Day each June, co-ordinated by the Department of Chemistry. This is an invitation-only full day science event for state primary schools in the City of Oxford twinned with Oxford Colleges. They include exciting hands‐on workshops, a curriculum-relevant lecture-demonstration, and opportunities to meet current undergraduate students and scientists. Local schools can request an invitation via their twinned College or the Oxford Hub.

Whilst we don't currently facilitate individual school visits to the Department, many Oxford colleges engage with schools. Colleges are organised by region, each linked to different areas of the UK, and generally prioritise helping the local communities currently under-represented in higher education. You can find out more about which colleges work with your region at Oxford for UK.

Balliol College run a variety of outreach talks and events, including their Insight into Science talk series which are open to year 11 and year 12 students and include several biology-related talks.

You can find out more about our undergraduate degree on our undergraduate programme page.

UNIQ Summer School

We run a summer school every year through the University’s UNIQ programme, which is aimed at students studying in their first year of further education at UK state schools and colleges. Students stay in a college for the residential portion of the course, attend lectures, and hear about applying to Oxford. Applications for 2025 open 12 December 2024 and close 23 January 2025. The Biology residential will take place 6-9 April 2025.

The UNIQ Biology course will give you an insight into what being an undergraduate biologist at Oxford is like. Each day has a theme reflecting the options on offer on the Biology degree course. You may expect to experience:

  • lectures covering topics typically found in the course
  • hands-on experience and activities relating to studying the natural world, such as animal, ecological, and conservation research
  • workshops with partners such as the Botanic Gardens and Museum of Natural History
  • lab-based practicals to provide insights into the molecular aspects of biology
  • face-to-face experience of the tutorial system of Oxford, and what it’s like to study Biology in a college with a dedicated tutor
  • talks on the wider course structure & field trips, admissions process, career options in Biology, and the Oxford interview

Check out the video below for a taster of what you might get up to on the UNIQ course.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/6wSl1K1kJmA

You must be studying Biology to A2, as well as either Maths, Physics, or Chemistry, in order to apply to this course. This is in line with the subject requirements for the MBiol in Biology.

Please note, there other are dedicated Human Sciences, Biomedical, Psychology, and Medicine UNIQ courses (see here). Applicants to the Biology course should have an interest in pursuing subjects covered by Oxford’s Biology undergraduate degree to make the most out of this course.

Resources

Oxford Sparks

Many of our researchers have worked with the fantastic science communication team at Oxford Sparks to share more about their research in an accessible way. We've curated a YouTube playlist featuring a wide range of our work with Oxford Sparks, suitable for home learning, and anyone keen to find out more about just how broad biology is. 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLXiKiyo6tkx76qvb-snx8AOp4BmJHbgz-

Biology: The Whole Story

Professor Lindsay Turnbull has published a book which explores fundamental concepts in biology, and has created a video for every chapter for those who prefer to learn via this format.

Back Garden Biology

In this fun and informative series Professor Lindsay Turnbull, Professor of Plant Ecology, looks at the biology of the back garden. This series is recorded in a normal garden in England beginning in March 2020 and would be of interest to anyone from age 5+. The series is particularly useful for children missing school who would like to carry on practical work in their own garden and have an expert help them understand the theory behind everyday biology. Packed with things to see right now, take the edge off your enforced boredom by venturing into the back garden. You can listen to it as a podcast here, or check out the YouTube playlist below.