On 24th March 2025, the Education Policy Institute (EPI) held our 2025 Annual Lecture. We were delighted to welcome Professor Anna Vignoles CBE FBA, Director of the Leverhulme Trust, to deliver the lecture.
Please find the recording below:
Professor Vignoles shared her thoughts and expertise on what is needed from government policy to close disadvantage gaps:
Stark inequalities in education and skills persist in the UK. The education achievement gap between rich and poor students remains substantial, limiting individuals’ prospects and constraining our economy. Regional disparities in skills are also pronounced, with some areas benefiting from a highly skilled workforce that attracts investment and high-wage jobs, while others face lower productivity and economic stagnation.
To address these challenges, policy must focus on where the need is greatest, namely education to employment pathways for those not pursuing a degree route and reskilling the millions already in the workforce who will need to adapt to a rapidly evolving labour market. Policy solutions will need to be geographically targeted, narrow socio-economic achievement gaps and create incentives for businesses to invest in skill development outside of already prosperous regions.
We are very grateful to the British Academy for kindly hosting this event.
