Capita plc (‘Capita’) today announces that it has been awarded a new 23-month contract worth £6.27m by the Department for Education (DfE) to promote, administer and process grant payments to support students participating in the Turing Scheme.
The Turing Scheme has been designed by the UK Government, with the Devolved Administrations, to provide global opportunities in education and training for students at UK education providers.
The Turing Scheme, which was launched this academic year, is the UK’s replacement for the Erasmus+ programme. Students from across the higher education, further education, vocational education and training and school sectors are able to benefit from the new scheme which helps fund study and work placements around the world.
The contract award follows a competitive bid process and Capita will utilise its significant digital grants management, complex programmes and education expertise to deliver the £110m scheme for the academic year 2022/23 to provide funding for thousands of students. The company will also be responsible for promoting the scheme to organisations and students, managing and delivering bids, assessing applications and more.
Capita has appointed the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) as principal partner to lead on the assessment of applications and to support with monitoring and evaluation. The ACU has decades of experience in managing and delivering international mobility schemes.
A central focus of the Turing Scheme is to support students from disadvantaged and non-traditional backgrounds to access global training and education opportunities. To help reach and engage these target audiences, an advisory group is being established that will comprise of expert sector organisations who will support outreach, particularly into non-higher education organisations, as well as providing advice. Members of the board include organisations from the social mobility, higher education, schools, further education and vocational training sectors.
Costi Karayannis, Managing Director and Client Partner for Education and Learning at Capita, said:
“We are delighted to have won this contract to administer grants for the Turing Scheme. We look forward to working with the Department for Education to enable students from all backgrounds to access global work and education opportunities.
“Capita will combine our capabilities in digital grants management, education and complex programme management to deliver life changing educational opportunities for young people participating in the Turing Scheme.”
Dr Joanna Newman, CEO and Secretary General, Association of Commonwealth Universities said:
“We are delighted to have been named as Capita’s principal partner on this next phase of the Turing Scheme. Our innovative partnership draws on the ACU's global networks and partnerships and will build on our extensive expertise and knowledge in delivering renowned international mobility and scholarship schemes including managing the UK Government’s Chevening, Commonwealth, and Marshall Scholarships schemes, and the multilateral Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QCES).
“Widening access to mobility, particularly through short term options, has long been a strategic mission of the ACU, and the Turing Scheme’s focus on widening participation and social impact resonates strongly with our values.”
Notes to editors: The total IFRS 15 transaction price (order book) is £6.27m.
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About Capita
Capita is a consulting, transformation and digital services business. Every day our 55,000 colleagues help millions of people, by delivering innovative solutions to transform and simplify the connections between government and citizens, businesses and customers. We partner with our clients and provide the insight and cutting-edge technologies that give time back, allowing them to focus on what they do best, and making people’s lives easier and simpler. We operate across three divisions – Capita Public Service, Capita Experience and Capita Portfolio – in the UK, Europe, India and South Africa. Capita is quoted on the London Stock Exchange (CPI.L).Further information can be found at: https://www.capita.com
