Justine Greening, UK Conservative Party Member of Parliament, visited Nottingham Trent University (NTU) to meet with Deputy-Vice Chancellor Professor Eunice Simmons to see first hand the work the university is doing to further social mobility.
Nottingham Trent University leads the way in social mobility
The Social Mobility Pledge was launched in March 2018 by former Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon Justine Greening MP and Nottingham Trent University became the first UK higher education institution to sign up to the initiative. The pledge sees companies and institutions commit to working with local schools and colleges to offer work placements and apprenticeships and adopt open recruitment policies. The aim of the Social Mobility Pledge is to encourage business to play their crucial role in boosting social mobility in the UK and highlight which businesses and employers are going the extra mile.
Professor Eunice Simmons, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Nottingham Trent University said: “Universities play an important role when it comes to improving the life chances of young people, and it’s a challenge which, to date, few universities have accepted and risen to.
“NTU understands its role and responsibility supporting students and helping them succeed in higher education regardless of background. Our initiatives demonstrate social mobility in action, and we’re delighted to be paving the way by being the first educational institution to sign the Social Mobility Pledge. We hope that more will follow suit.”
NTU supports students from disadvantaged neighbourhoods
NTU is determined to be at the forefront of social mobility. It has revealed that in 2016, it admitted 13% of students for disadvantaged neighbourhoods compared with 11% for all England universities. NTU is the 6th highest recruiter of these disadvantaged students of all UK universities. Furthermore, in 2017, 80% of graduates from disadvantage neighbourhoods progressed to further study or professional occupations compared to just 56% in 2014.
MP’s visit to the NTU campus gives seal of approval
NTU’s signing of the Social Mobility Pledge was marked by a visit to the University by Justine Greening MP. She met with students whose lives have been transformed as a result of studying at the University. She said: “The Social Mobility Pledge is about making a practical difference to employment opportunities by making sure employers can focus on talents and competence over connections. And there is a clear link between what we are doing and how forward-thinking universities see their own role. I’m very grateful to Professor Simmons and all the staff at Nottingham Trent University. They are committed to making a real difference to social mobility in Britain and I hope other higher education institutions will follow.”
Join the Nottingham Trent University team
Nottingham Trent University has risen to number 37 in The Times and Sunday Time Good University Guide. For you chance to join the staff at this forward thinking university, search and apply for a position today.
Find out more
Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.