Liverpool Hope University has highlighted its continuing commitment to social mobility with the launch of a new social impact report.
The report, developed in partnership with the Purpose Coalition, details the activities that the University is already undertaking which promote social mobility and features a series of recommendations that will help to broaden its impact in the future.
It was launched at an event attended by senior stakeholders from business, education and the third sector organisations across Liverpool City Region, with speeches from Purpose Coalition Chair and former Education Secretary, Rt Hon Justine Greening, and Hope’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Dr Penny Haughan.
Liverpool Hope is a unique institution which is deeply rooted in its local community. From its pioneering role in education in the 1840s, to its establishment as the only ecumenical university foundation in Europe and the USA in the early 21st century, its ethos has been the provision of educational opportunity for all in the pursuit of a fairer society.
The report maps the University’s activities against a framework of Purpose Goals which set out the 14 core barriers to opportunity in the UK and provide a blueprint for organisations to focus their efforts. They cover a broad range of societal and economic issues, from early childhood development to workplace inclusivity, highlighting the multifaceted nature of inequality and the need for a comprehensive approach.
The report demonstrates Liverpool Hope’s particular strengths and shines a spotlight on its best practice across many of the Goals. As a higher education institution, it is particularly guided by its commitment to building an inclusive and welcoming talent pipeline for everyone with the potential to succeed, developing strong outreach links with local primary and secondary schools.
Support for underrepresented groups when at university is also strong, encompassing financial support as well as support for students’ health and wellbeing. That approach is also extended to its staff. Extending its social impact beyond the campus, the University has a strong tradition of engagement with the local community, providing services and opportunities for the people that live there.
The report also features a number of strategic recommendations that will further embed Liverpool Hope’s social impact into the area it serves, including:
- Adoption of the Three Scopes Model to divide social impact into three distinct areas of people, supply chain, and community;
- Introduction of strategic diversity tracking colleagues;
- Introduction of Citizens Assemblies into student engagement;
- Adoption of a leadership role through the Purpose Coalition’s University Leadership Advisory Council; and
- Extension of its leading apprenticeship provision.
Chair of the Purpose Coalition and former Education Secretary, Rt Hon Justine Greening said: “Making a positive social impact is in Liverpool Hope’s DNA, in a city which has a long tradition of social justice. This report shows clearly how well it leans into the communities it serves, delivering opportunity and life-changing experiences to those who do not have family or peer experience of going to university. It identifies the barriers that hold back those from disadvantaged and underrepresented groups – whether that is digital exclusion or food poverty – and focuses on tackling them.
“As an anchor institution, however, the University plays a far wider role than delivering higher education. It boosts the local economy by providing a pipeline of skilled graduates, offers world-class research capabilities which drive cutting-edge innovation and economic growth in the local area and partners with other organisations to drive a strategic approach to their work.
“The ambition Liverpool Hope has shown to go further and faster in its social impact journey will ensure that it continues to play an invaluable part in making a difference for its students, its staff and its communities.”
Dr Penny Haughan, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost at Liverpool Hope University echoes these words: “This report reflects Liverpool Hope’s commitment to the principle that high quality education must be available for all if we are to become a fair and equitable society.
Universities are about more than education, they must play a vital role in improving the world for the common good. This can be seen in so many ways at Liverpool Hope, from the research that we do to our ethos of developing rounded graduates who aspire to improve society for all.
“I am proud to launch this report with the Purpose Coalition and to demonstrate how we will continue to strive to improve the socioeconomic opportunities for those within our region.”
You can read the report, here.