University retains top three position for social mobility

The University of Wolverhampton has been ranked third in the UK for social mobility, according to the 2025 English Social Mobility Index published by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI). The Index highlights Wolverhampton’s strong and growing impact in supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds to progress into successful careers and achieve meaningful long‑term outcomes.

This top‑three position reflects Wolverhampton’s longstanding commitment to widening participation, supporting learners from across the West Midlands, and ensuring that higher education remains a powerful driver of opportunity and social change. The Index measures access, continuation and outcomes for undergraduates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, assessing the “social distance travelled” between entry to university and life after graduation.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Ebrahim Adia said:

“Retaining such a high ranking for social mobility highlights that our Strategy ‘Creating Opportunity, Transforming Futures’ is a lived reality.  Each year we recruit thousands of students from diverse backgrounds, and we give them the support, knowledge, skills and confidence to progress to successful graduation.   In the process, we transform their lives, the lives of their families and the economic prospects of Wolverhampton and the Black Country. 

The introduction of credit-bearing Professional Placements for all our undergraduate students from September 2026 will further enhance opportunity and help our students to experience the world of work during their studies, develop employer connections and enhance their career prospects. 

I am heartened by the fact we are extending our social mobility ambition to other parts of the UK and internationally and that many more students will benefit from the transformational power of higher education and the University of Wolverhampton.”

The University’s sustained focus on improving opportunity and outcomes underscores its mission as an anchor institution for the region, building skills and helping to power economic growth.