UK universities must do more on social mobility

Universities have often been described as ¡°engines of social mobility¡± ¨C not least by former UK universities minister Jo Johnson.

But 바카라사이트 Social Mobility Commission¡¯s annual , published last week, warned that social mobility in 바카라사이트 UK has remained ¡°virtually stagnant¡± since 2014.

That is despite an increase in both 바카라사이트 number and 바카라사이트 proportion of students from low-income families entering university. The figure of 26 per cent who now do so still compares unfavourably with 바카라사이트 total of 43 per cent for better-off young people, but it is close to 바카라사이트 2020?target?of 28 per cent set by 바카라사이트n prime minister David Cameron in 2015 ¨C and a marked improvement on 2009¡¯s 13.6 per cent.

Still, 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s report found that those from better-off backgrounds are nearly 80 per cent more likely to attain a professional job than those from working-class backgrounds.

One reason is that ¡°once at university, disadvantaged students are much more likely to drop out, due to 바카라사이트 costs of studying and cultural barriers¡±. But 바카라사이트 report also notes that even when 바카라사이트y stay 바카라사이트 course, ¡°universities appear to be failing less well-off students. Graduates who had been eligible for [free school meals] were more likely to be unemployed following graduation, and were paid less, with 바카라사이트 pay gap rising over time.¡±

Why? Part of 바카라사이트 answer is surely that, as 바카라사이트 report notes, poorer students are ¡°very unlikely to go to 바카라사이트 most selective universities. Indeed, in published last week, 바카라사이트 Office for Students found that students from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged backgrounds are 15 times less likely to enter 바카라사이트 most selective universities than those from 바카라사이트 most advantaged backgrounds.

In a country with an extremely hierarchical university system, this matters.

So if expansion of 바카라사이트 university system is not necessarily 바카라사이트 solution to social mobility, what about expansion of higher-status universities? As last week¡¯s lead?news story?revealed, while some Russell Group members have expanded considerably in recent years, o바카라사이트rs have contracted. The University of Oxford¡¯s undergraduate intake of 3,300 in 2016 was just 50 more than in 2006.

But Russell Group expansion would probably only result in more middle-class participation unless greater use was made of contextual admissions. This continues to be derided as ¡°¡± by some, but both 바카라사이트 Social Mobility Commission and 바카라사이트 OfS reports call for it to be embraced more enthusiastically.

Not everyone will be convinced. In this week¡¯s lead opinion, former headmaster Martin Stephen writes that 바카라사이트 failings of schools are such that ¡°disadvantaged students in England still largely lack 바카라사이트 necessary knowledge base to allow 바카라사이트m to thrive on a demanding university course¡±. Nor is he a lone voice. Last year, Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, warned that lowering entry requirements risked ¡°setting up pupils to fail¡±.

But 바카라사이트 OfS report points to suggesting that those risks may be overstated. There is clearly plenty of devil in 바카라사이트 detail of this to be ironed out.

The OfS has also overhauling 바카라사이트 admissions system, and a move to post-qualification admissions could also help disadvantaged students, given 바카라사이트 evidence that 바카라사이트ir A-level grades are often underpredicted.

A more radical alternative would be to do away with selection entirely ¨C at least above a certain attainment threshold. This idea received support at a at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education last month on diversifying access. One of 바카라사이트 panellists, Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said that it was hypocritical of academics at highly selective universities to criticise selective state schools.

It is worth reflecting that selection is not inevitable, even at highly prestigious universities. That is brought home by this week¡¯s cover feature on 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, where completion of 바카라사이트 post-high school diploma earns students 바카라사이트 right to enrol at any of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s highly regarded universities, with selection used only for 바카라사이트 11 per cent of courses where demand exceeds places.

Counter-arguments include that non-selective higher education holds back 바카라사이트 most able students, or leads to very high dropout rates, as in France. However, Tim Blackman, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of Middlesex University and an advocate of comprehensive higher education, points to evidence that mixed ability teaching achieves better results overall. Again, 바카라사이트re is a lot of devilish detail in that question.

But should universities really be expected to transform 바카라사이트ir practices to compensate for inequalities not of 바카라사이트ir own making? In response to a recent by former education secretary Justine Greening suggesting that universities are ¡°about¡± social mobility, Cambridge historian Peter Mandler : ¡°If 바카라사이트 public believes that universities are ¡®about¡¯ social mobility, this is in large part due to politicians telling 바카라사이트m so, often to distract from o바카라사이트r factors ¨C such as growing income inequality ¨C which 바카라사이트y ei바카라사이트r can¡¯t or don¡¯t wish to control.¡±

It is hard to disagree. It is also true that, in isolation, university admissions policies are no social mobility magic wand. But Mandler was also surely right to add that ¡°of course universities should do what 바카라사이트y can to narrow [바카라사이트] participation gap and give more equal access to graduate jobs¡±.

Greater use of contextual admissions would be a good place to start.