About us

The National Co-Curricular Association (NCA) is a UK-wide professional association and community of practice, established in 2026 and led by Manchester Metropolitan University, for everyone passionate about enhancing learning across the student experience.   

The NCA champions the idea that meaningful learning happens across the student experience (not just in the classroom). From volunteering and community engagement to sport, arts, enterprise, leadership programmes and careers initiatives, co-curricular opportunities help students develop the whole person – skills, confidence and real-world experience needed to thrive during university and beyond. 

Collaborative by nature, the NCA brings HE practitioners and strategic leaders together with specialists from across the education, charity and business sectors who are committed to enriching students’ learning experience and readiness to embrace the future. Its values are reflected through a positive and welcoming tone of voice, adapted to a more playful and accessible version when targeting education practitioners specifically, meant to enhance the key messaging around building an active cross-sector community and championing the value and impact of co-curricular learning. 

What is co-curricular learning?

Co-curricular learning refers to voluntary learning experiences that take place alongside the formal curriculum. While often non-accredited (or accredited in distinctive ways), these activities make a significant contribution to students’ personal, professional and academic development.  

Examples include: 

  • Volunteering and community engagement 
  • Arts and cultural activities  
  • Sports and physical activities 
  • Student societies and clubs 
  • Careers and employability programmes 
  • Leadership development opportunities 
  • Enterprise and innovation activities 
  • Experiential learning programmes such as Rise 

The NCA emphasises that the “co” in co-curricular is deliberate. These activities do not sit separately from academic learning; rather, they complement and enhance it. Effective co-curricular provision creates purposeful connections between classroom learning and real-world experiences, helping students apply, reflect and deepen their learning.

Find out Why Co-Curricular Now?

Strategic Priorities

The Association’s work is guided by six strategic priorities: 

  1. Educational leadership and transformation 
  1. Championing the value of co-curricular in higher education 
  1. Collective insight and influence 
  1. Knowledge exchange and practice sharing 
  1. Leadership development and peer support 
  1. External engagement and visibility 

These strategic priorities will materialise in two main ways: 

1. By building a community 

Creating an inclusive, supportive and non-hierarchical network where professionals can connect, learn from one another and develop practice. 

2. By influencing and advocating 

Championing co-curricular education across the sector, demonstrating its impact and strengthening recognition of its contribution to student success and institutional outcomes.