Professor Christopher Millward

Professor Millward has engaged substantially with the media in his previous role, appearing on the Today programme, 5 live, and TV discussion programmes.  He has also written articles for general and trade press, and conducted interviews and press conferences with journalists.

Some examples of contributions to a newspaper without a paywall are provided below:

• UK government wants to reduce university places for poorest, says tsar | Higher education | The Guardian
• Wealthy, white students still do best at university. We must close the gap | Chris Millward | The Guardian
• Give more places to disadvantaged students, watchdog urges universities | Higher education | The Guardian
• Private schools criticise plans to get more poor students into university | Private schools | The Guardian

Blogs:

• How England plans to cut back 'low value’ degrees so it can reap more student loan repayments, The Conversation
• Catalyst for collaboration, Research Professional
• Lift, don’t limit, Research Professional
• Can a “geography-blind” market in English higher education deliver “levelling up”?, Academy of Social Sciences
• Regulating fair access to higher education in England, 2006-2021 | CGHE (researchcghe.org)
• Fair Access to English Higher Education in the 21st Century – A Story in 5 Parts | CGHE (researchcghe.org)
• Race and ethnic disparities in higher education – diagnosis demands prescription of a cure | Advance HE (advance-he.ac.uk)
• Fair equality of opportunity means a fair chance to succeed - HEPI
• What’s the relationship between where you come from, where you go to university and your opportunities for a well-paid graduate job? - Office for Students
• White students who are left behind: the importance of place - Office for Students
• Improving Local Prosperity – Civic University Network
• Access to higher education before, during and after the pandemic – by Chris Millward, Director for Fair Access and Participation - HEPI

Chis has significant policy experience having spent the last 20 years working for funding bodies and a regulator. 

He has particular expertise on pathways through post-compulsory education, including school to university transitions, further and higher education, knowledge, skills and work, including comparisons between England and other countries.  Also, the broader civic role of universities locally, nationally and internationally, which brings together their research, education and knowledge exchange missions.

Chris has provided evidence to parliamentary committees on issues such as higher education access, the supply of STEM graduates and postgraduate education.  He has also engaged with successive ministers, special advisers and officials responsible for higher education and engaged with it from different parts of government. 

Chris has served on independent commissions advising on different aspects of higher education, including:

• Disabled Students Commission
• Advisory board for the ESRC Research Centre on Global Higher Education
• UK Student Information Advisory Group
• UK Financial Sustainability Strategy Group
• Universities UK Social Mobility Advisory Group
• Shadbolt and Wakeham reviews of Digital and STEM Skills
• Wilson Review of University-Business Interaction
• Russell Review of University Museums and Galleries