ASP and student achievement

The Academic Seminar Programme (ASP) prepares Year 9 to 13 students at international schools for academic success at the world’s top universities.

The Academic Seminar Programme (ASP) prepares Year 9 to 13 students at international schools for academic success at the world’s top universities.

Each ASP course is exclusively designed and delivered in English by Academic Supervisors, who are PhD experts from prestigious UK and/or Irish universities, such as the University of Oxford, Trinity College Dublin and University College London.

Courses are delivered as 1-2 week long or termly (weekly) programmes, online or in-person. As well as subject-based tutorials in small groups (max 10) with their PhD tutor, pupils attend wrap-around enrichment, well-being and critical thinking workshops. Students complete a challenging university-style final assignment, with 1-1 feedback sessions delivered by PhD supervisors.

2020-21 Covid Adaptation

During Covid, our programmes transitioned online: evaluation data continues to show strong and in some cases improved impact data from the move online.

Jack is a Year 12 student who took part and is now at university. Read his story here:

"The programme was presented to us, by our teacher, as an opportunity to work with a PhD student and learn all about college standards and practices that we never heard of whilst in school. The subject we worked on was one I never anticipated liking. It was in the realm of taxes and policies and to me, that just was not the most interesting thing in the world. However, as the weeks went on, the topic had a depth to it that I never anticipated and I really enjoyed it. This was along with learning about thesis statements, referencing and proper procedure when structuring academic essays.
Unbeknownst to myself, going through the programme would have a huge impact on my own university experience. It made me aware that not everything you study will be extremely interesting at first sight but with a bit of perseverance you can find the enticement. It wasn’t until I started in college and my essays were receiving strong feedback for referencing, while my friends were struggling to get to grips with referencing, that I realised the different ways the programme had prepared me for university life and adjusting to this whole new world".

Through their participation in this programme, students...

  1. Attend tutorials that replicate teaching at research-intensive universities
  2. Engage with PhD experts from prestigious UK and/or Irish universities
  3. Are taught uniquely designed courses based on cutting-edge research
  4. Are given staff guidance during launch and graduation events
  5. Attend bespoke academic enrichment workshops
  6. Receive high-quality subject specific resources
  7. Develop deep subject knowledge
  8. Understand the university application process

We are now arranging programmes with international schools for the Spring-Summer break and Summer term of 2022. Get in touch to find out more!

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