Education

Inclusive Curriculum and Educational Practice

Queen Mary’s Inclusive Curriculum framework guides teaching and assessment design to ensure all students—regardless of background, gender or identity—can thrive. The framework emphasises student–staff collaboration, diverse voices and global perspectives within modules, and pedagogic practices that remove barriers and promote belonging. Through inclusive advising, mentoring and curricular design that reflects multiple identities, QMUL builds a learning environment where gender equality and broader equity are embedded into the academic experience.

Access and Participation Plan

Queen Mary is a sector leader in attracting students from groups typically under-represented in research-intensive universities. Of our domestic undergraduate students, 94% are from state schools, 73% are BAME, and 45% are first into higher education. We have the best record of all the Russell Group universities in England for recruiting undergraduate students from state schools and from lower-income families. In 2021, a Sutton Trust report named us as the best university for social mobility in the country.

Our Access and Participation Plan outlines our approach to improve the equality of opportunities available for underrepresented groups to access, succeed in, and progress from higher education. The Plan includes a full assessment of our performance, an overview of the measures in place and the targets we have set for improvement. Our  2020-2025 Report and 2025-2029 Report show that 30% of Queen Mary undergraduate home students come from households earning less than 15,000, 93% were from state schools and 22% were eligible for Free School Meals. For local access, over 50% of our home undergraduate students are from within 15km of campus, with 27% coming from East London specifically.

Bridge the gap

Bridge the Gap is Queen Mary's widening participation programme supporting Year 12 and 13 students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds who are interested in medicine, dentistry and allied health professions. Through a combination of taster lectures, workshops, application support and higher education guidance, the programme helps participants navigate competitive application processes and access healthcare-related degree pathways. Eligibility is based on widening participation criteria, and travel expenses are available to reduce financial barriers to participation.

Pathways to law 

Pathways to Law is a two-year widening participation programme delivered by The Sutton Trust, The Legal Education Foundation and Queen Mary University of London for academically able students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds. Through legal masterclasses, employability workshops, mentoring, networking opportunities and work placements with leading law firms and chambers, the programme helps participants access higher education and develop pathways into legal careers. By reducing barriers to entry and providing direct exposure to the legal profession, the programme supports greater participation among groups traditionally underrepresented in law.