Marni Comrie, a 19-year-old, has embarked on his academic odyssey studying integrated chemical engineering at the esteemed University of Bradford. This institute has once again asserted its prominence in England, as it has been adorned with the title of the top university in the nation for enhancing students’ social mobility for the third consecutive year.
The prominent English Higher Education Social Mobility Index meticulously assesses the transformation in an individual’s socio-economic status, consequent to acquiring higher education. Rather than limiting the evaluation to the prospects of earnings post-graduation, this well-regarded index extends its scope to understand the broader life opportunities that individuals have been able to harness.
In this comprehensive league table encompassing universities across the nation, Aston University has secured the second rank, followed by City, University of London, clinching the third position. Prof David Phoenix, the erudite mind behind the creation of this index, advocates for its significance by emphasizing that one’s humble beginnings need not dictate their future.
The Social Mobility Index, which celebrates its third year, has this time divulged the complete ranking of institutions, pushing beyond its traditional practice of unveiling only the top 20 contenders. Prof Phoenix, bearing the esteemed role of Vice-Chancellor of London South Bank University, elucidates that the index scrutinizes specific demographic groups’ accessibility to each university, the prevalence of students persisting beyond their initial year, as well as the prospects open to graduates. Importantly, the index incorporates both full-time and part-time students, whilst apprenticeships remain excluded due to a dearth of analogous data.
Universities, irrespective of their type or geographic location, play a pivotal role in challenging societal norms by consistently delivering enhanced economic prosperity for even their most underprivileged students, as iterated by Prof Phoenix. The University of Bradford’s constant recognition as the leader in these tables since the inception of this index and Aston University’s unwavering hold on the second position secures their significant standing in educational circles.
The University of Bradford ascribes its success to its unwavering commitment to career-centric learning and inclusivity. The institute’s guiding principle is to achieve “more than a degree” for their students. This is executed by collaborating with over 3,000 employers to provide students with hands-on, real-world career augmentation education.
Prof Shirley Congdon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford, expresses the institution’s resolution to make a difference for its learners, the city, and its residents. The university’s steadfast commitment to promoting equality and broadening access to higher education is reflected in their comprehensive recruitment and admission strategies.
Comrie, amongst the first in his lineage to attend university, articulates his appreciation for the inclusivity and support displayed by Bradford towards first-generation students. Similarly, physiotherapy student Theo Cook-Pattison, the second person from his family to attend university, applauds the practical exposure and vibrant social life at Bradford.
The Higher Education Policy Institute, the authority that publishes the social mobility index, highlights that the top three institutions have evolved from their origins as Advanced Technology Colleges into their present status as universities over an extensive span of almost six decades. The elite Russell Group boasts of being home to the three subsequent members of the list – King’s College London, The London School Of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and Queen Mary University of London. They are closely followed by post-1992 universities, the former polytechnics – Birmingham City, Wolverhampton, and Huddersfield. Another prestigious member of the Russell Group, University College London (UCL), rounds off the top ten.
League tables spark controversy, admits Nick Hillman, Director of HEPI, yet he stresses the importance of those offering different metrics. The strong performance of some relatively newer institutions over those with an aura of prestige serves as a stark reminder of the varying contributions made by diverse institutions. The conclusions derived from this index offer convincing proof of the strength of England’s higher education sector, depicted vividly in its breadth.
