The Festival, which marked 150 years of engineering education at UCL, was a six-day celebration of innovation, creativity and community. It brought together over 7,000 attendees across 53 locations and six London boroughs, with activities ranging from hands-on lab tours and interactive exhibitions to a live-streamed session with NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
This success was only possible thanks to the close collaboration with five outstanding partners: Royal Academy of Engineering, STEM Learning, EngineeringUK, London Transport Museum and NASA. Together, they helped co-design and deliver a programme that reached thousands of young people—many from communities underrepresented in STEM—and provided meaningful, hands-on experiences that sparked curiosity and confidence.
The Festival was also shaped by the contributions of over 50 partner schools, numerous community groups, and 364 volunteers from across UCL and beyond. Their insight, energy and commitment helped ensure that more than half of the young people who took part came from communities typically underrepresented in STEM.
By working closely with partners and communities, UCL created a festival programme that was co-owned, co-designed and co-delivered—demonstrating the impact that shared ambition and collaboration can achieve.
The HEIST Awards, now in their 34th year, celebrate excellence and innovation in education marketing and engagement. The Best Widening Participation Initiative category recognises projects that have made a meaningful impact in improving access to higher education for underrepresented groups.
Festival Highlight Images
This entry gave us all the feels! A real standout – it went one step further with strategic planning. An outstanding initiative and achievement, all delivered with impressive cost-effectiveness. The inclusive design, collaborative approach, and strategic use of role models powerfully showcased engineering as an accessible and exciting career path for everyone. Truly inspiring!
This recognition reflects our shared commitment to making engineering accessible, inclusive, and inspiring for all. The Festival was about opening doors—literally and figuratively—for young people who might never have imagined themselves in engineering.
We’re incredibly grateful to our partners, schools and volunteers. This recognition belongs to everyone who helped make the Festival such a success.
Watch the highlights video
