Launch event

Read the report here.

Universities play a crucial role in our communities up and down the country. As vehicles of social mobility they're vital in bridging the opportunity gap between our education system and the world of employment. Through our extensive work with universities and the Purpose Coalition, we've explored areas where the higher education sector is really demonstrating best practice and also where and how it can go even further.

Universities are working on the ground, driving up educational standards in local schools through strategic outreach and delivering fantastic teacher training. On employment, ever more effectively linking students from all backgrounds directly to opportunities. And also helping to create more opportunities themselves, through fostering entrepreneurship, and with their research effort directly boosting economic growth in regions across the UK.

So we're really excited to launch our campaign focusing on just that, raising standards and creating opportunities, with a best-in-class report focusing on the fantastic work of our university partners. This report highlights best practice and it also sets out recommendations to policymakers that would mean these and other universities could go even further in delivering social impact.

Like no other sector for many years through widening participation work, universities have opened up and been at the forefront of driving social mobility across our country. I personally benefited from that effort. Now it's time to look to the next stage ahead. This report shows just the way that we can do that.

I'm incredibly proud of our work with the Universities Purpose Coalition. Its best practice and our recommendations can drive even more impact. And I look forward to continuing to work with leaders across our education in this new groundbreaking campaign.