Birkbeck ranked in top 20 for social mobility
The English Higher Education Social Mobility Index measures how attending a university changes a person's socio-economic situation.
Birkbeck has been ranked as 19th in the UK for improving its graduates’ social mobility, in the English Social Mobility Index that is published annually by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI).
Professor David Latchman, Vice-Chancellor of Birkbeck, commented, “Promoting social mobility is at the heart of our mission at Birkbeck, and we provide access routes for students of all ages from diverse social and educational backgrounds to participate in our courses. This year marks Birkbeck’s 200th anniversary and we are proud to be celebrating how we have been transforming people’s lives since 1823.”
The index combines access, continuation and outcomes measures for undergraduates for all modes of study (except apprenticeships). This year, for the first time, the full ranking table has been published.
Nick Hillman, Director of HEPI, said: “The Social Mobility Index is now in its third year and it has rapidly become one of the most impactful things HEPI does. League tables are controversial and have pros and cons but they are not going to disappear, so it is illuminating to think about different methodologies and to measure things typically excluded.
“The fact that some relatively new and less prestigious institutions beat Oxbridge reminds us of the different contributions made by different institutions. Above all, the Index confirms our higher education sector has strength in breadth. We hear common complaints that there are too many universities and too many students, but this Index provides yet more evidence that higher education institutions of all types transform people’s lives.”