The start of a new year always heralds much political discussion in the media as commentators contemplate what is in store for the parties and their leaders in the year ahead.
With an upcoming General Election, 2024 has seen an even more feverish discussion than usual, with almost every major news story – the Post Office scandal, the challenges facing the NHS, the Israel-Gaza war – seen through an increasingly political lens.
While journalists speculate about the date, the opinion polls and the set piece speeches, work has been quietly going on at universities all over the country to prepare their students for what will, in many cases, be the first election they can vote in.
Many universities have spent years developing civic engagement priorities, aiming to give students an experience that goes far beyond simple academia and encompassing everything from health and wellbeing to climate change.
