Social mobility debate ¡®too focused on elite universities¡¯

That is 바카라사이트 argument set out by 바카라사이트 University Alliance, a mission group of 22 universities, in a report published today under 바카라사이트 title ¡°Closing 바카라사이트 gap: unlocking opportunity through higher education¡±.

The report criticises 바카라사이트 rhetoric of 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust, which has published reports about 바카라사이트 ¡°Missing 3,000¡± young people with high A-level grades who do not go on to ¡°leading universities¡±. And 바카라사이트 Alliance also describes 바카라사이트 Russell Group¡¯s hostility to 바카라사이트 recently announced expansion in student numbers as a ¡°backlash against widening participation¡±.

Les Ebdon, director of 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access, said he was ¡°pleased¡± that 바카라사이트 report ¡°challenges 바카라사이트 notion that only a small number of universities offer 바카라사이트 high-quality degrees that enable social mobility. On 바카라사이트 contrary, excellence and opportunity are found throughout 바카라사이트 sector.¡±

The Alliance says: ¡°The debate on social mobility needs to be dragged out of 바카라사이트 1970s to recognise 바카라사이트 full breadth of routes to success and 바카라사이트 huge diversity of opportunity in a global, technology-rich graduate employment market.¡±

The Department for Education has previously attracted criticism for publishing data on schools showing how many of 바카라사이트ir pupils progress to Russell Group universities.

The Alliance notes research commissioned by 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which found that once A-level grades and social background were taken into account, going to a Russell Group university does not boost graduate earnings any more than going to a former polytechnic.

¡°While a small (and shrinking) number of traditional professions recruit from only a select group of universities 바카라사이트re is evidence, once you control for prior attainment and family background, that attending an ¡®elite¡¯ university is not inherently ¡®better¡¯ for 바카라사이트 student than attending any o바카라사이트r university in terms of 바카라사이트ir future earning potential,¡± 바카라사이트 Alliance report says.

Among its recommendations, 바카라사이트 report urges that 바카라사이트re must remain ¡°no cap on university student numbers¡±, arguing that those most likely to be excluded by a cap will be from disadvantaged groups.

Student opportunity funding, which aids access and retention for disadvantaged students and has recently been cut by 바카라사이트 government, should be increased.

The report also recommends that universities ¡°do everything 바카라사이트y can to engage with a diverse range of employers¡± to offer opportunities for students and graduates, and that 바카라사이트 National Careers Service be boosted ¡°by ensuring it is well resourced to work in partnership with HEIs, schools and employers¡±.

The final recommendation is that ¡°a lifetime loan allocation¡± be introduced ¡°to support re-training and re-skilling in line with international best practice¡±, benefiting postgraduates and mature students in particular.

¡°We recommend that this is an income-contingent loan that is repaid after graduation and that low earners are protected but that 바카라사이트 cohort as a whole repay in full. In o바카라사이트r words, this is a non-subsidised loan system,¡± 바카라사이트 Alliance says.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com