City ranked first in London and third nationally for social mobility

City, University of London has been ranked first in London and third nationally by the English Social Mobility Index (SMI).

The SMI ranked English universities by their contribution to social mobility, based on the ‘social distance travelled’ by their graduates.

The Index took into account the number of undergraduate students from disadvantaged parts of the UK, the percentage of first-years who went on to complete their course, and the number of graduates going on to high-skilled jobs or further study.

Published by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), the Index has been compiled annually since 2020 by London South Bank University (LSBU). City has consistently ranked in the top ten universities nationally.

Professor Juliet John, Vice-President (Education) at City, said:

Social mobility is at the core of what we do at City, University of London. We believe that higher education has the power to transform lives.

We work hard to help our students achieve and succeed during their studies and beyond, so we are thrilled our efforts have been rewarded with our best ever result in the English Social Mobility Index.

Our students come from all walks of life and inspire us every day. The result of the Index is a testament to their grit and ambition.

City is the University of business, practice and the professions. This ranking rewards the institution’s strong focus on social mobility; its Career Activation Plan incorporates employability modules and work experience to each of its degrees to give its graduates the best chance of building successful and stimulating careers.

The University also has a robust support package for students from underrepresented backgrounds, including scholarships and bursaries. The dedicated support service City Cares provides pastoral care and financial support to vulnerable groups of students, including care leavers, refugees and students who are estranged.

City understands that widening participation in higher education  begins far earlier than university, which is why the Widening Participation and Outreach team offers tutoring sessions and visits to the University starting at primary school all the way through to sixth form.

Professor David Phoenix, Vice-Chancellor of LSBU, who compiles the Index for HEPI, said:

“While numerous studies demonstrate that your personal circumstances and where you grow up have a strong bearing on your likelihood of achieving upward mobility, the 2023 Higher Education Social Mobility Index shows that your background does not have to determine your future.”

Dr Diana Beech, Chief Executive of London Higher, said:

“I am incredibly proud to see London universities so strongly represented at the top of the 2023 English Social Mobility Index, with London institutions making up half of the top 10 and, indeed, half of the top 20.

Despite operating in a region with the highest wealth inequalities in England, and in areas with very high levels of deprivation, London’s higher education institutions have proved themselves once again as remarkable engines of opportunity, taking in relatively high rates of disadvantaged pupils and preparing them well to secure fulfilling and well-paid careers.