Is everything we know about university wrong?

Oliver Dean | 7th April 2026 | Comment
The rankings put the University of Wolverhampton, Aston University and the University of Bradford at the top (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
The rankings put the University of Wolverhampton, Aston University and the University of Bradford at the top (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Neither Oxford, Cambridge, UCL or KCL find themselves in the top 10 for the 2025 English Social Mobility Index, and Oliver Dean explores why

Without blowing my own trumpet, I would contest that I am a lucky student. Studying at the LSE, an institution which consistently lands highly in global rankings, is of course a fantastic opportunity. Particularly in the midst of a hyper-competitive job market, and at a time when graduate prospects are on the low, a well-regarded university lifts a heavy burden off of one’s shoulders. Given this, it was with some discomfort that I read the 2025 English Social Mobility Index, published by the Higher Education Policy Institute, which ranks every English university on its ability to move students from disadvantaged backgrounds into high-skilled careers. LSE comes tenth. Imperial is eighth. King's is eleventh. The University of Bradford is first. Aston University is second. The University of Wolverhampton is third. On the surface, it looked as though something had gone awry. Every league table and every world ranking was, according to this report, incorrect. Members of the famous Golden Tr...

Subscribe to The Mace

Join the member community shaping British politics and stay ahead of what's really happening in the world of politics and public affairs, with expert analysis, breaking news, and insider insights from Westminster and Brussels. The Mace is the leading news source and resource for the government affairs industry, offering required reading and lobby intelligence for professionals.

To see what you are missing out on by not subscribing to The Mace, click here to download our full membership info-pack. This includes having no paywall on op-ed content or profiles/interviews, allowing professional profiles to be read with maximum impact and visibility by government, special advisers, MPs, peers, civil servants, and policy and political decision-makers.



Hospitality and social value: A unique relationship that is worth protecting

Robert Richardson | October 22, 2026

"Our profession is one of the most accessible in the world," writes hospitality CEO Robert Richardson

How to solve Britain’s housing crisis? 

Kamal Pankhania | October 20, 2026

If councils want to build more homes, they must make it easier for property developers to partner with them, says leading UK developer Kamal Pankhania  

Beyond the beautiful game: How global investment has transformed Manchester

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | October 13, 2026

Manchester’s metamorphosis into the UK’s second capital has been a testament to the potential of northern cities, so we must approach the Man City scandal with a nuanced

Forty years after Big Bang, the City cannot write its own rules for growth

Mick McAteer | September 23, 2026

Greater deregulation for the financial sector in the City is not the way forward, writes Mick McAteer.

The Great British agricultural crisis: What does this mean for food, farmers, and national resilience?

Ella Beadman | September 22, 2026

This summer exposed the chain of vulnerabilities faced by the agricultural industry, Ella Beadman writes.

Jenrick is right to abolish the Tourism Tax to save the Great British staycation

Mace Magazine | September 21, 2026

The government's new 5% tourism tax and overnight levy is the last thing the UK's hospitality sector needs, says William Cash

The government wants to make it harder for businesses to say no to WFH – what does this mean for young people?

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | September 17, 2026

The new government protocol raises concerns about whether young people are getting the necessary exposure they need in their early careers 

The existential threat AI poses for the free press

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | September 16, 2026

What happens when the technology that could one day threaten humanity begins to destroy the institution responsible for warning us about it?

The exodus of the super-wealthy: Who pays the price?  

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | September 8, 2026

As speculation mounts over further tax rises, Britain’s ultra-rich investors and job creators are choosing to take their wealth elsewhere.

The Economic Paradox: Can Britain Afford to Penalise Parenthood?

Robert Richardson | September 8, 2026

In an exclusive op-ed for Mace, hospitality industry leader Robert Richardson sets out why the sector must do more to become accessible to young families.