Universities should work in “true partnership” with colleges to widen participation and change the life chances of learners, the chief executive of the Association of Colleges has said. 

Doing “more of the same” on admissions would not work for universities, David Hughes told Tes, adding that colleges played an important part in the widening participation agenda, both in terms of their support for people to progress to higher education in other institutions, and in terms of the HE they provide themselves,

He was speaking as a report by the Russell Group, which represents 24 of the most selective universities in the UK, suggested that members would have to admit all applicants from the most underrepresented areas, regardless of whether they studied academic qualifications, to meet targets to eliminate access gaps over the next two decades.

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The report suggested that the group’s members would be required to recruit all applicants from the most underrepresented areas with three A levels, regardless of the grades they achieved, by 2026 to meet the target set by the Office for Students.

And by 2035, they would need to recruit all applicants from the most underrepresented areas regardless of whether they have studied academic qualifications.

Improving access to higher education

Mr Hughes said: “There is so much more that needs to be done by Russell Group and other universities working in true partnership with colleges to offer flexible programmes which start in colleges and end in universities.

“That hybrid model of one plus two years, or two plus one year, could transform life chances for thousands of people, offer a more attractive option to many, bring enormous diversity to university courses and provide a step change in widening participation. Doing more of the same is not an option, as the analysis shows. We need a new approach which is more joined-up and offers something different.”

The Russell Group has called for increased efforts to narrow the attainment gap earlier on in children’s schooling as it says focusing solely on university admissions will not address “embedded inequalities”.

Its report comes after the Office for Students (OfS), the higher education regulator, called on the top universities across the country to significantly reduce the gap between disadvantaged young people and their more advantaged peers taking degree places - or face possible financial penalties.

The OfS has set a target to eliminate the access gap to the most selective universities between students from the most underrepresented areas in the country and those from the most represented areas by 2039-40.

The Russell Group report published today - which considers the actions needed to accelerate progress in widening access to university - calls for the government to create a new Office for Tackling Inequality and launch a 10-year national strategy to join up efforts across government departments and all relevant stakeholders.

Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of the Russell Group, said: “Russell Group universities will continue to do their part but breaking down the barriers created by educational inequality that start early in life is not a job for universities alone.”

Chris Millward, director for fair access and participation at the OfS, said: “There has been clear progress in opening up opportunities to study at the most selective universities, but where you come from continues significantly to determine where you end up.

“There is still a long way to go before these opportunities are genuinely available across all parts of the country.”

Universities minister Michelle Donelan said: “Working with their communities, schools and colleges, our world-class universities play a vital role in levelling up opportunities for everyone and in helping to unleash the brilliant potential across our country.

“It is more crucial than ever before that we tap into the brilliant talent that our country has to offer, and make sure that anyone who wants to, whatever their background or wherever they come from, is given the chance to go to university.”