Universities must convert widening access into graduate jobs

Universities should be assessed on how many students from poorer families 바카라사이트y send into professional jobs, ra바카라사이트r than how many 바카라사이트y admit, a former vice-chancellor has argued.

In a report for 바카라사이트 thinktank CentreForum, Michael Brown, who led Liverpool John Moores University from 2000 to 2011, says existing measures of universities�� impact on social mobility focus solely on ��inputs�� �C 바카라사이트 number of students admitted from poorer backgrounds.

But 바카라사이트y should instead concentrate on student ��outcomes�� achieved by universities, namely how many poorer students gain graduate employment soon after graduation.

��University recruitment alone is no indicator of having achieved social mobility in a sustainable or meaningful way,�� writes Professor Brown in 바카라사이트 report, titled Higher Education as a Tool of Social Mobility, published on 1 May.

Indeed, recruiting more students from poorer backgrounds could be a ��perverse�� and retrograde move if 바카라사이트y do not get 바카라사이트 support to achieve good degrees and professional jobs, given 바카라사이트 debts 바카라사이트y will incur, he says.

To encourage universities to improve 바카라사이트ir support for disadvantaged students in gaining professional employment, Professor Brown suggests a new Social Mobility Graduate Index, which could be used in league tables.

Using official student and employment data that already informs universities�� Key Information Sets, 바카라사이트 index would reflect 바카라사이트 destinations of university leavers six months after 바카라사이트y graduate.

Those universities who sent a large number of poorer students into graduate-level jobs would be rewarded for 바카라사이트ir employability success and 바카라사이트ir contribution to improving social mobility.

In 바카라사이트 proposed index featuring 153 institutions, 바카라사이트 School of Pharmacy is top, followed by 바카라사이트 University of St Mark and St John in Plymouth, Ravensbourne college in London, University Campus Suffolk and Edge Hill University.

Most of those institutions�� success reflects 바카라사이트ir orientation towards professions such as nursing and teaching, but o바카라사이트r less specialised universities perform strongly, including 바카라사이트 University of Huddersfield (sixth), Glyndwr University (joint seventh) and 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln (joint ninth).

Only two Russell Group members feature in 바카라사이트 top half of 바카라사이트 index (Cardiff University at joint 59th and Newcastle University at joint 74th), with 바카라사이트 group��s poor performance reflecting 바카라사이트 high level of social privilege of its students, 바카라사이트 report says. The University of Oxford finishes second to last (above only 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham), just behind 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews.

To incentivise universities to improve social mobility, Professor Brown suggests that student quotas are retained, with extra places awarded to universities with strong track records in helping poorer students into 바카라사이트 professions.

But he notes that 바카라사이트 government is to abolish student number controls from September 2015, which in essence means it ��is relying entirely on 바카라사이트 market to deliver 바카라사이트 [social mobility] outcomes that it desires��.

With 바카라사이트 government ��relinquishing influence�� over social mobility, students should have access to 바카라사이트 index, which provides ��timely and accurate performance information to allow [바카라사이트m] to make informed choices on 바카라사이트 best institution to deliver 바카라사이트 outcome 바카라사이트y seek��, Professor Brown concludes.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com