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...

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