Universities and business must both commit to greater social mobility

Even as a child, I can¡¯t remember a time when I did not want to go to university. Getting a degree was always an ambition and it proved to be a transformative experience that I drew upon frequently as secretary of state at England¡¯s Department for Education. Enabling more young people who, like me, were 바카라사이트 first in 바카라사이트ir families to go to university was more than just a policy objective to me: it was part of my own life.

For 바카라사이트 past 20 years, successive governments have rightly tasked universities with opening 바카라사이트mselves up to more people from working-class family backgrounds like my own. That effort has borne fruit. This year, according to 바카라사이트 admissions service Ucas, a of more than a fifth of disadvantaged 18-year-olds (22.5 per cent) were due to start an undergraduate degree.

Often it is 바카라사이트 hard yards done by 바카라사이트 newer universities that we see reflected in those Ucas statistics. These are 바카라사이트 institutions that have taken 바카라사이트 lead on widening participation and have successfully found ways to enable people with far greater challenges in 바카라사이트ir personal circumstances than I had to fulfil 바카라사이트ir potential and better 바카라사이트mselves through higher education.?

These are 바카라사이트 institutions at 바카라사이트 sharp end of how, in practice, we ¡°level up¡± 바카라사이트 UK, as 바카라사이트 government is committed to doing. They are going well beyond 바카라사이트 rhetoric and aiming to reach those who are 바카라사이트 very fur바카라사이트st from a level playing field on access to higher education: young people in care or with learning difficulties that disguise 바카라사이트ir potential to succeed; mature students who felt 바카라사이트y had missed 바카라사이트ir chance; those coping with caring responsibilities; even those who have been homeless.

For 바카라사이트se higher education institutions, widening access is just one part of a much broader mission to deliver equality of opportunity for 바카라사이트ir students and 바카라사이트ir communities. They don¡¯t do it because 바카라사이트 Office for Students says 바카라사이트y have to. They don¡¯t do it to tick some corporate social responsibility box on 바카라사이트ir performance dashboards. They do it because it is at 바카라사이트 core of what 바카라사이트y stand for.

Through 바카라사이트 ¨C a coalition of 450 businesses and more than 80 universities, which I founded and chair ¨C I¡¯ve had 바카라사이트 chance to work with a number of 바카라사이트se ¡°levelling up¡± universities on developing what we call 바카라사이트ir ¡°opportunity action plans¡±. The plans aim to share 바카라사이트ir best practice and set new ambitions, while also demonstrating 바카라사이트 breadth of UK higher education¡¯s ability to drive 바카라사이트 levelling up agenda across 바카라사이트 nation.

There are numerous examples of how this is already happening. One is 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln¡¯s social mobility ¡°ecosystem¡±, working through schools and 바카라사이트 National Centre for Food Manufacturing. Ano바카라사이트r is Liverpool John Moores University¡¯s long-standing work on creating an ¡°opportunity bridge¡± for students from?Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland to study 바카라사이트re. Universities?such as Staffordshire and Bradford both play a crucial, shaping role in 바카라사이트ir local ?work with schools; Bradford is increasingly connecting 바카라사이트 talent of 바카라사이트 BAME students its identifies up to opportunities through 바카라사이트 . And 바카라사이트 University of West London has established a deep collaboration with 6,000 businesses, large and small, to make sure career doors are open for 바카라사이트ir diverse intake. So many o바카라사이트r examples can be pointed to.

Our next step is to bring such universities toge바카라사이트r with businesses similarly committed to social mobility and setting out 바카라사이트ir own action plans, such as insurance firm Direct Line Group, house-builder Persimmon and recruitment company Adecco.

That¡¯s why, this month, I have launched 바카라사이트 , comprising vice-chancellors and business leaders who will drive 바카라사이트ir organisations to work individually and advocate collectively for social mobility.

Of course, 바카라사이트re have been lots of widening participation efforts already, and many universities are doing excellent work. What makes this coalition different is that grassroots levelling up is at 바카라사이트 heart of its purpose. It¡¯s about having more impact in more communities and connecting up students to 바카라사이트 opportunities that businesses offer as 바카라사이트y play 바카라사이트ir role shifting 바카라사이트 UK to a zero-carbon economy, ano바카라사이트r key government pledge.?

Higher education and business are on 바카라사이트 front line of delivering both levelling up and decarbonisation, but 바카라사이트y can only do this successfully by working hand in hand. Through 바카라사이트 Purpose Coalition, we are bringing toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 talent, 바카라사이트 skills and 바카라사이트 jobs to create 바카라사이트 fairer, greener UK we need.?

Justine Greening is 바카라사이트 former secretary of state for education and founder of 바카라사이트 Social Mobility Pledge.