Dr Susan Kenyon argues that universities can do more to support social mobility, by moving away from the outdated assumption that residential students are the norm and reshaping provisions to support commuting students.

In her response to the latest Student Social Mobility statistics, The Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, warns that the sector must do more to ‘break the link between where a young person grows up and the opportunities they have’. To deliver this change, she is clear that universities need to institute ‘far-reaching reform [… to] fix the foundations of higher education’. 

Universities have been tinkering with educational reform for many years. In response to government targets, we have widened and increased participation, which has led to some changes in how we teach and support students. We have made some adaptations to what we teach, adding employability content, perhaps a little on sustainability, too. 

However, one constant remains. 

Universities remain focused on the traditional, residential student. 

The foundation of our teaching, our policies, practices and plans for the future, are based on the assumption that students relocate to attend university, moving to live on or very near to campus. 

This is the foundation that needs to be fixed. 

For the first time, there are now more commuter students in the UK – students who continue to live at home whilst studying, rather than relocating to attend university – than traditional residential students. This is a direct consequence of widening participation to non-traditional students, including the working-class students from low participation areas, mentioned by Bridget Phillipson, who are less able and willing to relocate. 

However, those who do not relocate to attend university have a poorer experience throughout the student lifecycle. Choice of institution, engagement with learning, resources, extra-curricular activities and the learning community, continuation, attainment and outcomes are all negatively affected by being a commuter. In part, this is because higher education, including assessments, extra-curricular activities, facilities, learning support and timetabling, have been designed without consideration of the need to travel to access HE.

Adapting our provision to focus on commuter students is key to the future of Higher Education. This pragmatic approach has the potential to address the educational responsibilities and financial challenges highlighted by the government. At the base level, there is a market to target. Adapting provision for commuters will increase retention rates, maintaining fees income; better metrics improve league table position, influencing recruitment. 

To fix the foundations, universities must first recognise their commuters: count them, to make them count. Next, review all policies for accessibility, with particular focus on timetabling, attendance, learning and teaching, support services and skills development. Make changes where necessary, enabling students to maximise access, whilst minimising travel. Provide information for commuters, before, during and after application. Consider repurposing unused parts of the estate, for commuter students: a common room; sleeping areas. Rethink in-person learning and make attendance worth it. Consider online learning, but avoid hybrid learning and include on-commute learning options.

Universities are vital to social mobility, but we can do better. Reshaping our provision for commuter students is an essential first step. 

Dr Susan Kenyon is a Principal Lecturer in Politics.