Universities UK responded today to the announcement that Professor Les Ebdon has been appointed as the next Director of Fair Access to Higher Education in England. Professor Ebdon is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire and will take over from Sir Martin Harris as Director of the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) later this year.

Professor Eric Thomas, President of Universities UK and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol, said: “All universities are committed to widening participation and improving access. They work hard to attract applicants from a range of backgrounds without compromising standards.

“In terms of widening access, it is widely recognised that the main obstacle remains progression and achievement at school at ages 16 and 18. Due to differences in school performance, it is critical that universities continue their outreach work to ensure that anyone who has the ability and potential to benefit from a university education should have the opportunity to do so.

“Universities in England will continue to work with OFFA to support efforts to widen participation for under-represented groups. However, decisions on admissions will always remain for universities to determine.

“Professor Ebdon has long experience of higher education, and we look forward to working with him in his new role as Director of OFFA.”

Notes

1. For more information, see the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills announcement