Education and social mobility: where next for research and policy? By Jonathan Portes

Abstract

The Government has stated that its primary social policy objective is to increase social mobility. Both academics and policy-makers agree that the single most important policy lever is education, broadly defined.   Yet there is little consensus on the impact on social mobility of changes, past and future, to the education system.  What does the existing research tell us about education and social mobility? What are the impacts of the Government’s current plans likely to be? And if we as a society were really intent on increasing social mobility, what would we do

Jonathan Portes is Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR). Previously, he was Chief Economist at the Cabinet Office, where he advised the Cabinet Secretary, Gus O’Donnell, and Number 10 Downing Street on economic and financial issues.
Before that he held a number of other senior economic policy posts in the UK government.

This seminar will be held from 3.00 to 4.30 pm, on Wednesday 25 January 2012, in Room 642 at the Institute of Education, University of London. Admission to the seminar is free, but places should be reserved via llakesevents@ioe.ac.uk.