Social mobility work should be ‘incentivised’ amid funding strain

Universities need to create incentives for academics to work with their local communities on social mobility amid fears initiatives are becoming “increasingly strained” due to a lack of resources, sector leaders have told Parliament.

Speaking at the House of Lords Social Mobility Policy Committee, Liz Mossop, vice-chancellor at Sheffield Hallam University, outlined that while social mobility remains a priority, “difficult conversations” are being had as higher education institutions face a funding crisis.

“Resource is always going to be a challenge, and particularly in the current context in higher education, we are making a series of decisions every day about what we stop, what we start, what we carry on with, and that’s very difficult,” she said.

“That doesn’t mean we won’t stop doing the things that matter to us. So we will carry on with this work, but it becomes increasingly strained when we’re talking about resources, and that’s people as well as actual funds to carry out different things.”

“Financially, we’re in very difficult times”, Mossop added, but felt “we cannot let” social mobility be sidelined.

He said it was “essential to the core DNA of my institution…It's important we do the work to enable people to see those opportunities and all the other work we do across the city in the region, but we are having difficult decisions, and we cannot hide behind that”.

Union members at Sheffield Hallam are due to strike on 24 and 25 March over pay, and last year the university announced 120 staff faced redundancy due to cost pressures.

Meanwhile Graeme Atherton, associate pro-vice-chancellor for regional engagement at the University of West London - and an expert in widening university access - told the committee that conversations on social mobility have “stalled” in recent years.

“[Social mobility] is a dynamic concept. It's not a static concept. Has that moved forward in recent years? I think it’s probably stalled a little bit if I was being really honest from our experiences.”

“The universities [represented] here are proud of the work that we do on social mobility, and we’re proud to be identified in that area. But again, that has to be the case for all of the sector, because maybe it differs and wanes in the sector as well. So I think there’s some work to be done.”

Atherton argued that work on social mobility, including working with local businesses to create opportunities for students, needed to be incentivised for staff and recognised by universities.

“If you want individual academics and schools, deans and faculty to work with employers as well, you have to create a system and a culture within your university that rewards and recognises that work. Otherwise on an individual level, you’ll focus on your publications.”

Mossop added this necessitates a “cultural” shift, and requires more than just financial support. “It’s very much about leading and saying, ‘this is the right thing for us to be doing. This is why we’re here. Our mission is to transform lives’.”

Both leaders were giving evidence to a special inquiry committee that has been appointed to consider how educational and work opportunities could be better integrated to improve social mobility in the UK.

juliette.rowsell@timeshighereducation.com