Office for Students - Consultation on a new approach to regulating equality of opportunity in English higher education – November 2022

This is a key part of the OfS’ work, and it is important that both the regulator and the wider sector regularly take time to re-examine and adapt approaches to widening participation in the university sector. [...] The sector is also continuing to adapt to the fall-out from the COVID-19 pandemic, with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds the most heavily impacted by lost learning (see research from the COSMO study, here - ), and only limited government investment in education recovery to mitigate the impact. [...] However, we are also concerned that allowing universities to select the ‘risks’ they want to focus on means it is possible some could choose to put their focus on the risks that are easiest to address, and reduce the focus on representation of groups that are hardest to reach. [...] To what extent do you agree with our proposals related to the format and content of an APP? The Trust is supportive of the proposals relating to the format and content of APPs. [...] In partnership with UCL, the Sutton Trust has recently released research based on data from the COVID Social Mobility and Opportunities (COSMO) study, the largest study of its kind into the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the life chances of a generation of young people (see - ).