Higher Education Access and Participation Task and Finish Group
This group creates proposals to help more students from disadvantaged backgrounds access higher education.
The Higher Education Access and Participation Task and Finish Group is meeting between November 2025 and January 2027 to create practical, evidence-based proposals to help more students from disadvantaged backgrounds and under-served areas access higher education (level 4 and above) and progress on to positive destinations.
Purpose
The group focuses on 2 main areas to improve access, with the aim of widening successful participation:
- Regional gaps: addressing lack of access to higher education in regions with the biggest disadvantage gaps (‘cold spots’)
- Barriers along the student journey: identifying and addressing the biggest barriers to higher education that those from disadvantaged backgrounds face across their lifetime
The group will create solutions that can be led by the higher education sector, with support from students, government, charities and other partners.
Membership
- Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Derby (Chair)
- Professor Graeme Atherton, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Regional Engagement, University of West London; Vice-Principal, Ruskin College, Oxford; and Director, World Access to Higher Education Network
- Dr Hollie Chandler, Director of Policy, Russell Group
- Fiona Ellison, Co-Director, Unite Foundation
- Professor Jane Harrington, Vice-Chancellor and CEO, University of Greenwich
- Dr Nick Harrison, Chief Executive, The Sutton Trust
- Ben Jordan, Director of Strategy, Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)
- Shaid Mahmood MBE, Chair, Association of Colleges; Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), Durham University
- David Morgan, Chief Executive, Career Development Institute (CDI)
- Professor Antony C. Moss, Pro Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience, London South Bank University (LSBU)
- Professor Liz Mossop, Vice-Chancellor, Sheffield Hallam University
- Dani Payne, Head of Education and Social Mobility, Social Market Foundation
- Alex Proudfoot, Chief Executive, Independent Higher Education
- Suzannah Reeves, Pinnacle Learning Trust; Principal, Oldham Sixth Form College
- Professor Lisa Roberts, Vice-President (England and Northern Ireland), Universities UK (UUK); and President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Exeter
- Professor Tom Sperlinger, Academic Director for Civic Spaces, University of Bristol
- Dr Brooke Storer-Church, Chief Executive Officer, GuildHE
- Susan Lapworth, Chief Executive, Office for Students (OfS)