Westminster ranks second for social mobility among English universities

The report, published on 24 November by the Institute for Fiscal Studies and educational charity the Sutton Trust, is the most comprehensive of its kind and looks both at the share of students from low-income backgrounds at the university and whether their university studies have helped move them up to the top of the income ladder.

Specifically, for each university it calculates a ‘mobility rate’, which shows the proportion of students at the university who were eligible for free school meals and are amongst the top 20% of earners at age 30.

The new report shows that the University of Westminster admitted 22% of students who were previously eligible for free school meals, with one in four going on to well-paid jobs. This gives Westminster a social mobility rating of 5.6% which is the second highest among universities in England.

The result reflects the University’s purpose as set out in its Being Westminster strategy to ‘provide grounded, holistic education with wide horizons and opportunities so that people from every background can realise their true potential, contributing to a richer, happier society’.

The report also highlights the top twenty courses for mobility across England with Computing at Westminster ranking 12th with an overall mobility rate of 8.2%. Law at Westminster ranks 14th also with a mobility rate of 8.2% while Biosciences is 17th with a mobility rate of 7.2% demonstrating the wide variety of subject areas across the University which contribute to social mobility.

Speaking about the report Dr Peter Bonfield, Vice-Chancellor and President at the University of Westminster, said: “We are incredibly proud and pleased to see Westminster perform so well in this new analysis. Social mobility is at the heart of our Being Westminster strategy and our University plays a leading and unique role in helping students from different backgrounds, communities and groups from all around the world realise their full potential. We provide an environment, culture and education that supports a hugely diverse community of students with many going on to do great things.”

Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chair of the Sutton Trust and chair of the Education Endowment Foundation, said: “Universities are among the most powerful engines for social mobility that we have. Today’s ground-breaking new research confirms the role they play in enabling disadvantaged young people into well-paying and rewarding careers. In particular, less selective universities are really doing the heavy lifting to promote social mobility. Today’s research is a reminder of why access and outreach, as well as progress at university, is so important for social mobility and the government’s levelling up agenda.”

Find out more about the report.