UCU Scotland comment on latest figures on widening access to university

Commenting on the  latest figures on widening access to university, UCU Scotland official, Mary Senior, said: 'It's heartening to see the progress that has been made prior to the pandemic on widening access to university education. This good progress is down to the hard work and efforts of staff and the institutions themselves in supporting students from poorer backgrounds to come to university.

'It's vital that we don't take our feet off the gas now, particularly given the challenges faced by students and staff during the pandemic. Students from poorer backgrounds haven't had the same access to study spaces, broadband or equipment needed to access learning online during Covid-19, and not everyone has a supportive home environment.

'We need to ensure that the good progress made in 2019-20 continues in future years, and redouble our efforts to ensure no one is excluded from learning due to digital poverty or social deprivation.'