Queen Mary University of London Principal Colin Bailey wins national award for social mobility work 

Professor Colin Bailey, CBE, President and Principal of Queen Mary University of London, has received an Outstanding Contribution award for his work in the field of social mobility.

The award was presented last night at the national UK Social Mobility Awards 2024, an initiative created by charity Making the Leap, which recognises and celebrates the achievements of organisations and individuals across the UK in advancing social mobility.

Marking the Leap presented Professor Bailey with the Outstanding Contribution award because: “Colin has made one of the leading universities in the country an absolute citadel for social mobility. Social mobility is talked about within Queen Mary’s walls more than any such organisation that we know and punctuates everything the University does. For that reason, and Colin’s contribution towards this, he is the worthy recipient of our Outstanding Contribution award.”

The sentiments reflect Queen Mary’s proud history of promoting social mobility, which is engrained in its DNA. The commitment began with the University’s four founding institutions, which were created to improve the lives of people with less privilege, and continued with the establishment of the People’s Palace, a designed space for the local community to socialise and learn.

Today, the University continues to have social mobility at its core and serves a diverse area which is reflected in its student body: 93% of students come from state schools; 72% are from minority ethnic backgrounds; 46% are the first in their family to go on to higher education; and 24% have accessed free school meals.

Professor Bailey is particularly familiar with the importance of opening the doors of opportunity to people from all backgrounds. Having left school at 16 to complete a four-year apprenticeship, he later realised that to progress in his career – and address many biases he experienced due to his background – he’d need to get into higher education to obtain the qualifications to succeed.

That’s when he applied and was accepted to the Civil Engineering course at the University of Sheffield as part of their widening participation programme. He went on to graduate top of this class and complete a PhD in three years.

“I know first-hand the importance of opening the doors of opportunity to students from all backgrounds. That’s why I’m so proud that at Queen Mary, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to succeed, based on their talent and hard work, irrespective of their background,” explains Colin. “We’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where all students can flourish and develop to the best of their abilities and go on to secure jobs at the highest level – which our graduates continue to do, year after year. We recognise that when we embrace difference, and diversity of thought, we can truly make change happen.

“To be able to lead Queen Mary in creating such an environment and to work with so many people who are truly committed to supporting and promoting social mobility is a real privilege. I’m very grateful and proud to be accepting this award, which I accept on behalf of everyone at Queen Mary University.”

The University’s social mobility work extends beyond its education offer. Its world-leading research, for which it’s ranked 14th in the world, also tackles inequalities in all fields – from healthcare and justice to technology and climate change. Through its world-leading research, Queen Mary aims to positively impact the health, opportunities and outcomes of its local communities and those globally.

With reports showing that the inequality gap is widening at an alarming pace across the world, it’s even more important Queen Mary continues to build on its long, impressive track record in social mobility and justice, finding new ways of tackle embedded inequalities and transform lives.