The term outreach refers to activity undertaken by universities with schools and communities, generally with the goal of engaging groups under-represented in higher education (HE) but also at times to fulfill other HE goals, such as promoting progression in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects. The tradition of ‘extra-mural’ education generated by progressive forces and the requirements of industrialisation dates from the 19th Century. Initiatives in the late twentieth and early twenty first centuries, however, especially in the United States and United Kingdom, are more aligned with neoliberalism and the marketization of HE, though social justice and equal opportunity are strong themes in much outreach activity.

This entry provides an overview of outreach, then explores outreach policy, outreach activities, targeted populations, and benefits and challenges.