Xiaohongshu
The Pursuit of Education for All
Access to education has long been a great engine of social change and one of UCL’s defining commitments since its founding. From the early movements that opened university doors to women, through to modern efforts to widen participation and support displaced learners, the idea that education should belong to everyone continues to shape life at UCL. As UCL turns 200, I’ve been reflecting on what an education open to all should look like.
Pioneering equality
When UCL was founded in 1826, the university intentionally opened its doors to those historically excluded by religion from a higher education at Oxford and Cambridge. Women were not admitted on an equal footing for another half a decade. However, UCL was the first university in England to admit women on equal terms with men, formally doing so in 1878.
UCL was instrumental in opening higher education to those historically excluded, helping shift the sector toward greater equality.
That legacy continues today in initiatives like AccessUCL, which expands pathways for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and ensures that talent and potential, not background, determine access to opportunity.
UCL has long been a global university, and the students & the Students’ Union has played an important part in advancing international educational justice. From supporting South African students affected by apartheid-era restrictions, to the university’s current commitment to become a University of Sanctuary, UCL’s history is threaded through with the belief that education must remain open to those seeking safety, dignity, and hope.
Education today at UCL
That commitment appears strongly in students’ experiences. Our Education Awards show students consistently valuing staff who make learning inclusive and accessible: educators who adapt their teaching to diverse needs, staff who provide patient and personalised support, and departments that make space for underrepresented voices in their curricula. These examples reflect how everyday practice can expand access to education in meaningful ways. Widening participation is not just about who enters UCL, but how they are welcomed, taught, and supported once here.
At the same time, the Student Priorities for Education Report highlights how much more work remains. Students repeatedly emphasised the importance of consistent lecture capture, accessible learning materials, and inclusive facilities to ensure all students, including disabled, neurodivergent, international, and part-time learners, can fully participate. They raised concerns about the uneven quality of feedback, the challenges of navigating inconsistent learning platforms, and the impact of cramped or inaccessible spaces on their sense of belonging.
Similarly, international students highlighted the need for tailored careers support and clearer assessment expectations, reflecting the additional barriers that global mobility and visa systems impose. The world around us is ever-changing, and being a global university comes with global responsibility: the university must be able to support applicants and students affected by war, conflict, and disaster. As UCL continues to welcome students from more than 150 countries, ensuring all of our students feel fully included, academically, socially, and professionally, is essential for us to build an environment where everyone can thrive.
Looking ahead
UCL already embodies many of the principles of “education for all,” but fulfilling that mission requires constant attention and steadfast partnership. Progress is happening from personal tutoring reforms, to new curriculum design principles, and investments in inclusive environments. But students are right to point out where systems, spaces, and structures need further change, and should always feel comfortable doing so: your voices and ideas can shape the future of the university for the better.
As UCL moves forward with major educational reforms and renewed commitments to access, belonging, and inclusion, the task remains the same as it was in the nineteenth century: to remove the barriers that keep people from learning, flourishing, and contributing their talents to the world.
UCL has achieved much, but there is more to be done, locally and globally. As we look to the next 200 years of UCL I’m excited to see how this generation and the next will continue to push boundaries, leading in the pursuit of education for all.