Equality of opportunity in London HE: 2030 and beyond

The Labour Government has promised a ‘decade of national renewal’, driven by five missions including an ‘Opportunity Mission’ as the organising framework for education policy. The higher education sector has, for its part, recently submitted new Access and Participation Plans that set out ambitions for improving equality of opportunity in HE over the course of the next parliament. 

This conference asks how we can maximise the impact of that work within London and ensure the capital’s higher education sector is playing the most effective role it can in improving life chances for Londoners. It takes a combined focus on near-term and longer-term goals for equality of opportunity work, considering what can be achieved within the next political and regulatory cycle but also by the end of the decade to 2035.  

To do this, the conference programme includes breakout workshops in which attendees will have the chance to hear from specialists working on key widening participation priorities and collectively develop a roadmap for achieving ten-year goals for London HE in those areas.  

In addition, the conference will: 

• Launch new research by AccessHE on future trends in HE access and participation in London; 

• Feature contributions from government and the regulator in the form of keynote addresses and panels. 

The programme is below:

12.00-13.00 Networking lunch

13.00-13.10 Welcome remarks

13.10-13.30 Keynote 1

13.30-14.10 Panel: HE access and participation trends in London

14.10-15.10 Breakout sessions 1: Charrette workshops

• Session 1: Working with London schools and colleges to enable sustained engagement with aspiring students
• Session 2: Co-designing equality of opportunity in HE with Londoners

15.10-15.40 Coffee break and networking

15.40-16.40   Breakout sessions 2: Charrette workshops

• Session 3: Achieving a step change in outcomes for care leavers in London
• Session 4: Addressing intra-regional inequalities: comparing approaches from different areas of England

16.40-16.55 Keynote 2

16.55-17.00 Closing remarks

17.00-18.00 Drinks reception

Confirmed speakers to date include: 

• Nandini Aggarwal, AccessHE Outreach Coordinator, London Higher 

• Jillian Belnikoff, Co-Head, Advice & Counselling Services, Queen Mary University of London & NNECL London regional lead 

• John Blake, Director for Fair Access and Participation, OfS 

• Dr Richard Boffey, Head of AccessHE, London Higher 

• Izzy Branch, AccessHE Membership and Communities Manager, London Higher 

• Professor Frances Corner, Warden, Goldsmiths, University of London 

• Dr Michael Eades, Head of Civic Engagement, Goldsmiths, University of London 

• Erica Holt-White, Research and Policy Manager, Sutton Trust

• Alex Muhumuza, AccessHE Programmes and Partnerships Officer, London Higher 

• Ann-Marie Soyinka, Assistant Director, Employment and Skills Unit, GLA 

• Additional speakers to be announced in the coming days