Day 12: Uni Advance

The Reach rollercoaster of fun continued to power along as we moved into Wednesday, and the midpoint of the August course. There were yet more punting trips-this time providing a well-earned break for our visiting schoolteachers- and the lessons are flying by with yet more experiments, debates, and practical exercises. The halfway point was also marked by the University Advance trip, an opportunity for some students to visit University College and Imperial College in London. We began bright and early with a tour around the UCL campus which sprawls across several roads in central London. The group was led around the grand 19th century site, the impressive dome of the central library contrasting with the sleek interiors and glowing technological displays contained within the main building. After a short stop for lunch the group proceeded to the site of Imperial college. Once there we were shown around the cavernous lecture theatres, student accommodation and bright communal spaces. Imperial’s reputation as a centre for technological excellence became clear as we were shown the workings of a large mechanical clock, a building sustained through solar power and a machine designed to extract carbon from the atmosphere. In the evening the students were treated to a lecture on psychology before a trip to the ever-popular summer school disco. The dancing continued well into the evening, before everyone headed to bed ready for another jam-packed day. Written by Pete, Global Leaders Coordinator and Supervisor