The University has announced its latest plans to support students from underrepresented backgrounds to access, thrive and succeed in higher education. This includes key commitments to eliminate disability and race degree awarding gaps.
It is a known sector-wide issue that a smaller proportion of both students who report a disability and Black, Asian and minority ethnic students achieve Firsts or 2:1s as compared to their non-disability reporting and white counterparts. As part of the University’s Access and Participation Plan 2025-26 to 2028-29, which has been recently approved by the Office for Students, there is a firm commitment to eliminate these degree awarding gaps by 2028/29 for disability and by 2032 for race.
The Plan sets out six targets in total and a range of new and enhanced activities designed to deliver improvements for underrepresented groups at all stages of the University journey. Other areas of focus include increasing the percentage of Black, Asian and minority ethnic students and the percentage of students from the most deprived backgrounds coming to study with us.
In addition, a series of new measures are to be introduced to provide students from the most deprived backgrounds with the additional support they need over the course of their studies so that they are able to thrive and complete their degrees.
Professor Gavin Brown, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education, said, “We are proud at Liverpool of our long-standing track record in improving the social mobility of our students and of our reputation as one of the most successful Russell Group universities for widening participation. However, we can and should do more.
“It is absolutely unacceptable that as a sector and as a university we continue to see an attainment gap between students based on their race or disability and we are wholeheartedly committed to tackling the complex range of contributing factors.
“This Access and Participation Plan has been carefully developed with colleagues across the University and, importantly, the Liverpool Guild of Students and two student engagement panels, to address a range of access, continuation and attainment gaps and I would like to thank all those who contributed to this incredibly important piece of work.”
Addressing the gaps
There are a significant number of new initiatives linked to the new plan, including:
- The new Equality+ programme, a specialist employability initiative designed to provide an enhanced package of careers support for students and graduates who face barriers, biases, and unequal access to progression and future success.
- A new programme providing post-entry support for widening participation students to support attainment and enhance sense of belonging.
- KnowHow transition support, piloting bespoke academic and skills support for modules where there has been a significant attainment gap for underrepresented groups.