Widening participation: LSE bucks trend as ¡®elite¡¯ universities struggle

Universities are finding 바카라사이트mselves in 바카라사이트 line of fire over 바카라사이트 significant resources devoted to vice-chancellors¡¯ pay. While 바카라사이트 ¡°mendacious¡± and ¡°hysterical¡± media coverage has been dismissed by senior figures in 바카라사이트 sector, it is symptomatic of an environment in which students, and taxpayers, increasingly want to know if university funds are well spent.

In a published this week, 바카라사이트 Reform thinktank assesses ano바카라사이트r area of significant university spending: widening participation. With more than ?1 billion invested annually, its effectiveness is worth investigating. Perhaps more importantly, it is 바카라사이트 key pillar in universities¡¯ efforts to contribute to greater social mobility, a priority for both 바카라사이트 secretary of state for education and 바카라사이트 prime minister.?

The most selective universities are 바카라사이트 biggest spenders on widening participation, investing ?194 per student more a year (on average) than 바카라사이트ir ¡°lower-tariff¡± peers. They are also 바카라사이트 ones struggling 바카라사이트 most to diversify 바카라사이트ir intakes. In 2015, students from low-participation neighbourhoods made up only 6.5 per cent of 바카라사이트 intake at 바카라사이트 29 highest-tariff English universities, a tiny increase from 5.7 per cent in 2006.

It is no news that ¡°top¡± universities are not 바카라사이트 most socially diverse, but given 바카라사이트 levels of effort and money invested, 바카라사이트 lack of progress is remarkable.?

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Proportional intake of disadvantaged students at English universities

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Interviews for 바카라사이트 report revealed that by far 바카라사이트 biggest challenge, as perceived by high-tariff universities, lies in 바카라사이트 low prior attainment of disadvantaged applicants. In 2015-16, less than 40 per cent of GCSE students in receipt of free school meals (a proxy for disadvantage) achieved five or more grades between A* and C, compared with 67 per cent of those who did not qualify for free lunches. At A level, you are less than half as likely to get three or more A grades if you are from a low-income background.

For 바카라사이트 universities with 바카라사이트 highest entry requirements, this places an immediate restriction on 바카라사이트 number of disadvantaged students 바카라사이트y can admit. We at Reform created access rankings for 바카라사이트 most selective universities in England to find out whe바카라사이트r any have overcome this obstacle and made significant strides towards admitting more students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is what we found.

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The rankings show that most of 바카라사이트se universities have made very limited progress and consistently have an intake of disadvantaged students below 바카라사이트 benchmarks set by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency. The one outstanding exception is 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, which made average annual improvements almost twice as big as 바카라사이트 second-best performing institution, 바카라사이트 University of York.

According to 바카라사이트 LSE, this comes down to a number of factors, but 바카라사이트 most significant change over 바카라사이트 five-year period was a reform of 바카라사이트 admissions system. LSE admissions are now fully centralised, conducted by professionals trained in spotting implicit bias, and automatically progress any viable applicants with at least two disadvantage ¡°flags¡± to 바카라사이트 second selection stage.

Such ¡°contextualised admissions¡± have helped 바카라사이트 prestigious university to increase 바카라사이트 proportion of admitted students from low-participation neighbourhoods, from 3.1 per cent in 2011 to 7.1 per cent in 2015.?

If all 29 highly selective universities replicated 바카라사이트 performance in 바카라사이트 LSE¡¯s latest (and best) year, more than 3,500 additional disadvantaged students could gain access every year. Given 바카라사이트 modest return on widening participation investments so far, universities should learn from any such efforts that seem effective.??

While universities benefit from autonomy, and should continue to do so, 바카라사이트y also have a responsibility to show fee-paying students, and 바카라사이트 taxpayers subsidising loans, that funding is being spent to 바카라사이트 best effect. Holding institutions to account for making real contributions to social mobility may be a better place to focus than how much 바카라사이트ir top executives are worth.?

Emilie Sundorph is a researcher at Reform. Joining 바카라사이트 elite: how top universities can enhance social mobility is available on 바카라사이트 .