Universities as enablers of social mobility discussed by Vice-Chancellor

How higher education can support the levelling up agenda will be discussed by the University of Chester’s Vice-Chancellor at a leading national education conference. 

Professor Eunice Simmons will join Rt Hon Justine Greening and John Gill, Editor of Times Higher Education (THE) at the ‘Levelling Up: How higher education can drive progress in regional areas’ at the THE Campus Live UK&IE event taking place on Wednesday, December 6 and Thursday, December 7 at the ACC in Liverpool. 

THE Campus Live UK&IE 2023 will bring together higher education leaders – both academic and administrative – along with industry partners and policy experts to discuss, debate and plan how to achieve institutional success. 

The session on Wednesday, December 6 (from 9.05am to 9.45am) will look at the practical applications and implementation of ‘levelling up’, with regional strength being a priority for so many. 

Professor Simmons will outline how the University of Chester has implemented best practice to supercharge progress in this area. 

The session will look at how planning and strategy are crucial to levelling up; the challenges and opportunities presented by collaborative working; the importance of effective monitoring and evaluation of performance and what other institutions can learn from this collaboration. 

As Vice-Chancellor and principal at the University of Chester, Professor Eunice Simmons has responsibility for leadership of the institution and development of the University’s Citizen Student Strategy. Her personal priorities are reflected in national roles chairing The Centre for Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO) and as a board member for The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education and the Mersey Forest partnership. 

Through its Citizen Student strategy, the University of Chester is embracing the opportunities offered by the Purpose Coalition and utilising this vision to play its role in the Levelling Up agenda. 

The University launched its own Levelling Up Impact Report earlier this year which set out its social impact on its communities, staff and students. 

The Purpose Coalition, chaired by Rt on Justine Greening, brings together the UK’s most innovative leaders, Parliamentarians and businesses to improve, share best proactive and develop solutions for improving the role that organisations can play for their customers, colleagues and communities by boosting opportunity and social mobility. 

Open to leaders – both academic and administrative – across the higher education sector along with industry partners and policy experts, THE Campus Live UK&IE 2023 offers practical advice, ideas and solutions to the most pressing strategic challenges facing universities today. 

Professor Simmons said: “I am looking forward to this interesting and lively discussion tackling some of the challenges faced by our sector in playing our role in the levelling up agenda where we can share best practice and ideas for others to make changes in their settings.”