Equality and diversity

It is wrong to suggest that social mobility has remained static or that the efforts of Government and universities to promote widening participation have failed ("Community cohesion", 30 April).

Research published by Million+ compares the socio-economic backgrounds of students at the point of entry to the 28 universities with the most diverse student profiles in the UK with their socio-economic status three and a half years after graduation. While only 8 per cent of these students were from professional families at the start of their study, 17 per cent had entered professional occupations as graduates three and half years after they had qualified.

This is an impressive outcome for UK higher education, and there is absolutely no need for Thames Valley University to learn any lessons from across the Atlantic.

Pam Tatlow, Chief executive, Million+.