Social barriers into higher/education
The School of Social Sciences (UWE Bristol) welcomes you to join us for a panel discussion
Key Information:
- Date and time
- Fri 24 March 2023
17:00 - 19:00 - Location
- Create Centre, Smeaton Road, Further info
- Contact
- Craig Johnston c.johnston@uwe.ac.uk
- Cost
- Free
- Attendance
- Booking required

Description
The discussion panel brings together academics, practitioners, advocates and researchers from across a range of educational, community based and public sector settings.
It is open to everyone, including those who are interested in social differences and social themes relating to race, poverty, health inequalities, pathways of the working-class people to and through higher education, leaving a legacy in local neighbourhoods, and envisioning a positive future for widening participation.
We welcome anyone with lived experience of the themes and want to get more informed on issues related to the social barriers to higher education.
Programme
17:00 – Welcome
- Professor Peter Clegg – Head of the School of Social Sciences, UWE Bristol
Introduction and Scene Setting
- Dr Craig Johnston – Senior Lecturer at UWE Bristol, Co-Founder/Deputy Chair Alliance of Working-Class Academics
- Dr Alex Blower – Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) and the Students' Union at UWE.
17:20 - Panel discussion
- Professor Arathi Sriprakash – Professor of Education, University of Bristol
- Dr Lawrence Hoo – Poet, Educator and founder of CARGO Classroom (Charting African Resilience Generating Opportunities)
- Aisha Thomas – Educational activist and Director at Representation Matters
- Professor Richard Waller – Professor of Education and Social Justice, UWE Bristol
- Sangeetha Wynter – Training and Inclusion Manager, Babbasa.com
- Malcolm Richards – Senior Lecturer in Education, UWE Bristol.
This panel discussion will contribute to understandings of the barriers to higher/education in and across professional fields by bringing together a diverse delegation of academics, and sector representatives. Together, we will seek to better understand the underlying issues affecting professionals and to address any concerns regarding social mobility, race, disability and poverty from a cross-sector, interdisciplinary perspective.
18:20 – Open to the public Q&A session
18:35 – Drinks and social networking session for all
19:00 – Finish
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