Staff profile

Member of the Higher Education and Social Inequality (HESI) research group

Member of the Durham University Evidence Centre for Education (DECE)

Member of the Centre for Global Higher Education (CGHE)

Welcome video

Click here to play Vikki's welcome video for 2021-22

Vikki joined the Department of Sociology at Durham in September 2011. Before coming to Durham, Vikki studied Sociology at Leicester University (BA), Cambridge University (MPhil) and Oxford University (DPhil) and was a Departmental Lecturer in Sociology at Oxford, a Nuffield Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Visiting Lecturer at Harvard, a British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Oxford, and a Sociology Lecturer at Bath Spa.

At Durham Vikki co-teaches the second year undergraduate module, Sociology of Education, and the masters level module, Education an Social Inequality. Vikki is Programme Director for the MA in Social Research Methods and co-convenor of the university-wide First Generation Scholars Network.

Vikki’s research focuses on social inequalities of access to the most prestigious universities. She is a leading expert on the use of contextual data on the socioeconomic circumstances of prospective university students to inform more equitable admissions decisions. You can read about this work here and here.

Vikki welcomes enquiries about supervision from students who want to write an undergraduate, masters or doctoral dissertation on something to do with education and its relationship to social stratification and inequality.

• Educational inequalities, especially social class and ethnic inequalities of access to higher status universities
• Social stratification and mobility, in particular patterns and processes of social mobility across multiple generations of family members
• Quantitative research methods
• Applied and policy-relevant research

• 2000: Editorial Board member of Higher Education Policy:
• 2000: British Journal of Sociology of Education editorial board member:
• 2000: BSA Sociology journal editorial board member:

Book review

• Book review : Natasha K Warikoo, 'The diversity bargain : and other dilemmas of race, admissions, and meritocracy at elite universities'
  
  Boliver, V. (2017). Book review : Natasha K Warikoo, ’The diversity bargain : and other dilemmas of race, admissions, and meritocracy at elite universities’. Sociology, 52(4), 862-864. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038517692926

Chapter in book

• Issues of Access, Diversity, and Inclusion In Contemporary Higher Education
  
  Siddiqui, N., & Boliver, V. (in press). Issues of Access, Diversity, and Inclusion In Contemporary Higher Education. In N. Siddiqui & V. Boliver (Eds.), Researching Social Inequalities in Higher Education. Routledge.
• A more radical approach to contextualised admissions. In Where Next for Widening Participation and Fair Access? New Insights from Leading Thinkers.
  
  Boliver, V., Gorard, S., & Siddiqui, N. (n.d.). A more radical approach to contextualised admissions. In Where Next for Widening Participation and Fair Access? New Insights from Leading Thinkers. In Where next for widening participation and fair access? [Contracted by publisher] (pp. 23-28). Oxford: HEPI/Brightside.
• Access to Higher Education
  
  Siddiqui, N., & Boliver, V. (2025). Access to Higher Education. In N. Siddiqui & V. Boliver (Eds.), Researching Social Inequalities in Higher Education. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003452430-15
• The use of evidence from research on contextualised admissions to widen access to Scottish universities
  
  Boliver, V., & Gorard, S. (2020). The use of evidence from research on contextualised admissions to widen access to Scottish universities. In S. Gorard (Ed.), Getting evidence into education : evaluating the routes to policy and practice. (pp. 166-177). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429290343-12
• Ethnic Inequalities in Admission to Highly Selective Universities
  
  Boliver, V. (2018). Ethnic Inequalities in Admission to Highly Selective Universities. In J. Arday & H. Safia-Mirza (Eds.), Dismantling race in higher education : racism, whiteness and decolonising the academy. (pp. 67-85). Palgrave MacMillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60261-5_4
• Admission to medicine and law at Russell Group universities: the impact of A-level subject choice
  
  Dilnot, C., & Boliver, V. (2018). Admission to medicine and law at Russell Group universities: the impact of A-level subject choice. In P. Burke, A. Hayton, & J. Stevenson (Eds.), Evaluating equity and widening participation in higher education. (pp. 59-87). Trentham Books (UCL IOE Press).
• Getting up and staying up: understanding social mobility over three generations in Britain
  
  Boliver, V., & Sullivan, A. (2018). Getting up and staying up: understanding social mobility over three generations in Britain. In S. Lawler & G. Payne (Eds.), Social mobility for the 21st century : everyone a winner? (pp. 54-66). Routledge.
• How can contextualised admissions widen participation?
  
  Gorard, S., Boliver, V., & Siddiqui, N. (2018). How can contextualised admissions widen participation?. In M. Shah & J. McKay (Eds.), Achieving Equity and Quality in Higher Education (pp. 307-326). London: Palgrave MacMillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78316-1
• How meritocratic is admission to highly selective UK universities?
  
  Boliver, V. (2017). How meritocratic is admission to highly selective UK universities?. In R. Waller, N. Ingram, & R. Ward (Eds.), Higher education and social inequalities : university admissions, experiences, and outcomes. (pp. 37-53). Routledge.
• How can we widen participation in higher education? The promise of contextualised admissions
  
  Boliver, V., Gorard, S., & Siddiqui, N. (2017). How can we widen participation in higher education? The promise of contextualised admissions. In R. Deem & H. Eggins (Eds.), The university as a critical institution? (pp. 95-110). Sense Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6351-116-2_6
• Social mobility and higher education
  
  Boliver, V., & Wakeling, P. (2017). Social mobility and higher education. In J. Shin & P. Teixeira (Eds.), Encyclopaedia of international higher education systems and institutions. (pp. 1-6). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9553-1_43-1
• Second generation attainment and inequality: primary and secondary effects on educational outcomes in Britain and the US
  
  Waters, M., Heath, A., Tran, V., & Boliver, V. (2013). Second generation attainment and inequality: primary and secondary effects on educational outcomes in Britain and the US. In R. Alba & J. Holdaway (Eds.), The Children of Immigrants at School: A Comparative Look at Integration in the United States and Western Europe. New York University Press.

Edited book

• Researching Social Inequalities in Higher Education: Access, Diversity and Inclusion
  
  Boliver, V., & Siddiqui, N. (Eds.). (in press). Researching Social Inequalities in Higher Education: Access, Diversity and Inclusion. Routledge.

Journal Article

• Why are British Ethnic Minorities Less Likely to be Offered Places at Highly Selective Universities? in Alexander, C. and Arday, J. (eds) Aiming Higher: Race, Inequality and Diversity in the Academy.
  
  Boliver, V. (n.d.). Why are British Ethnic Minorities Less Likely to be Offered Places at Highly Selective Universities? in Alexander, C. and Arday, J. (eds) Aiming Higher: Race, Inequality and Diversity in the Academy. Runnymede Perspectives, 15-18.
• Inequalities in students’ sense of social, cultural and economic belonging at a highly selective UK university
  
  Boliver, V., Hampshire, K., Lambell, A., Lewis, A., & Marley, C. (in press). Inequalities in students’ sense of social, cultural and economic belonging at a highly selective UK university. European Educational Research Journal.
• Evaluating Contextual Offer Making at Durham University
  
  Boliver, V., & Jones, K. (2025). Evaluating Contextual Offer Making at Durham University. Higher Education Quarterly, 79(2), Article e70025. https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.70025
• Students’ Perceptions of Racial Diversity and Inclusion in UK Universities
  
  Jones, C., & Boliver, V. (2025). Students’ Perceptions of Racial Diversity and Inclusion in UK Universities. Social Sciences, 14(2), Article 84. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14020084
• Does grammar school attendance increase the likelihood of attending a prestigious UK university?
  
  Capsada‐Munsech, Q., & Boliver, V. (2024). Does grammar school attendance increase the likelihood of attending a prestigious UK university?. British Educational Research Journal, 50(1), 348-366. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3929
• Educational tracking and social inequalities in long-term labor market outcomes: Six countries in comparison
  
  Schindler, S., Bar-Haim, E., Barone, C., Fels Birkelund, J., Boliver, V., Capsada-Munsech, Q., Erola, J., Facchini, M., Feniger, Y., Heiskala, L., Herbaut, E., Ichou, M., Karlson, K. B., Kleinert, C., Reimer, D., Traini, C., Triventi, M., & Vallet, L.-A. (2024). Educational tracking and social inequalities in long-term labor market outcomes: Six countries in comparison. International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 65(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/00207152231151390
• Rethinking merit? The development of more progressive approaches to university admissions in England
  
  Boliver, V., & Powell, M. (2023). Rethinking merit? The development of more progressive approaches to university admissions in England. Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 24(3), 33-55. https://doi.org/10.5456/wpll.24.3.33
• Competing conceptions of fair admission and their implications for supporting students to fulfil their potential at university
  
  Boliver, V., & Powell, M. (2023). Competing conceptions of fair admission and their implications for supporting students to fulfil their potential at university. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, 27(1), 8-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603108.2022.2063429
• The private higher education provider landscape in the UK
  
  Hunt, S. A., & Boliver, V. (2023). The private higher education provider landscape in the UK. Studies in Higher Education, 48(9), 1346-1360. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2023.2199317
• Reconceptualising fair access to highly academically selective universities, Higher Education
  
  Boliver, V., Banerjee, P., Gorard, S., & Powell, M. (2022). Reconceptualising fair access to highly academically selective universities, Higher Education. Higher Education, 84(1), 85-100. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-021-00755-y
• What do we know about Black and minority ethnic (BME) participation in UK higher education
  
  Arday, J., Branchu, C., & Boliver, V. (2022). What do we know about Black and minority ethnic (BME) participation in UK higher education. Social Policy and Society, 21(1), 12-25. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1474746421000579
• Who counts as socioeconomically disadvantaged for the purposes of widening access to higher education?
  
  Boliver, V., Gorard, S., & Siddiqui, N. (2022). Who counts as socioeconomically disadvantaged for the purposes of widening access to higher education?. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 43(3), 349-374. https://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2021.2017852
• Does ability grouping affect UK primary school pupils’ enjoyment of Maths and English?
  
  Boliver, V., & Capsada-Munsech, Q. (2021). Does ability grouping affect UK primary school pupils’ enjoyment of Maths and English?. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 76, Article 100629. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rssm.2021.100629
• Lives on track? Long-term earnings returns to selective school placement in England and Denmark
  
  Birkelund, J., Capsada-Munsech, Q., Boliver, V., & Karlson, K. (2021). Lives on track? Long-term earnings returns to selective school placement in England and Denmark. British Journal of Sociology, 72(3), 672-692. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-4446.12856
• The early labour-market returns to upper secondary qualifications track in England
  
  Capsada-Munsech, Q., & Boliver, V. (2021). The early labour-market returns to upper secondary qualifications track in England. Longitudinal and Life Course Studies, 12(3), 299–322. https://doi.org/10.1332/175795921x16119468619598
• Experiences of first-generation scholars at a highly selective UK university
  
  Hindle, C., McEwan, C., Boliver, V., Maclarnon, A., Simpson, B., & Brown, H. (2021). Experiences of first-generation scholars at a highly selective UK university. Learning and Teaching., 14(2), 1-31. https://doi.org/10.3167/latiss.2021.140202
• Private providers and market exit in UK higher education
  
  Hunt, S. A., & Boliver, V. (2021). Private providers and market exit in UK higher education. Higher Education, 81, 385-401. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00546-x
• Using contextual data to widen access to higher education
  
  Boliver, V., Gorard, S., & Siddiqui, N. (2021). Using contextual data to widen access to higher education. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, 25(1), 7-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603108.2019.1678076
• The use of access thresholds to widen participation at Scottish universities
  
  Boliver, V., Gorard, S., Powell, M., & Moreira, T. (2020). The use of access thresholds to widen participation at Scottish universities. Scottish Affairs, 29(1), 82-97. https://doi.org/10.3366/scot.2020.0307
• Reliability of Longitudinal Social Surveys of Access to Higher Education: The Case of Next Steps in England
  
  Siddiqui, N., Boliver, V., & Gorard, S. (2019). Reliability of Longitudinal Social Surveys of Access to Higher Education: The Case of Next Steps in England. Social Inclusion, 7(1), 80-89. https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v7i1.1631
• Let's make education fairer
  
  Gorard, S., Siddiqui, N., See, B., Boliver, V., & Wardle, L. (2019). Let’s make education fairer. Research Intelligence : BERA Bulletin., Autumn 2019(140), 12-13.
• Performance-based university funding and the drive towards ‘institutional meritocracy’ in Italy
  
  Mateos-González, J., & Boliver, V. (2019). Performance-based university funding and the drive towards ‘institutional meritocracy’ in Italy. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 40(2), 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2018.1497947
• Which are the most suitable contextual indicators for use in widening participation to HE?
  
  Gorard, S., Boliver, V., Siddiqui, N., & Banerjee, P. (2019). Which are the most suitable contextual indicators for use in widening participation to HE?. Research Papers in Education, 34(1), 99-129. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2017.1402083
• Organisational Identity as a Barrier to Widening Access in Scottish Universities
  
  Boliver, V., Powell, M., & Moreira, T. (2018). Organisational Identity as a Barrier to Widening Access in Scottish Universities. Social Sciences, 7(9), Article 151. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci7090151
• Exploring ethnic differences in the post-university destinations of Russell Group graduates
  
  Lessard-Phillips, L., Boliver, V., Pampaka, M., & Swain, D. (2018). Exploring ethnic differences in the post-university destinations of Russell Group graduates. Ethnicities, 18(4), 496-517. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468796818777543
• An Analysis of School-Based Contextual Indicators for Possible Use in Widening Participation
  
  Gorard, S., Siddiqui, N., & Boliver, V. (2017). An Analysis of School-Based Contextual Indicators for Possible Use in Widening Participation. Higher Education Studies, 7(2), Article 79. https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v7n2p79
• Misplaced optimism: how higher education reproduces rather than reduces social inequality
  
  Boliver, V. (2017). Misplaced optimism: how higher education reproduces rather than reduces social inequality. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 38(3), 423-432. https://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2017.1281648
• Exploring ethnic inequalities in admission to Russell Group universities
  
  Boliver, V. (2016). Exploring ethnic inequalities in admission to Russell Group universities. Sociology, 50(2), 247-266. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038515575859
• Critically evaluating the Effectively Maintained Inequality hypothesis
  
  Boliver, V. (2016). Critically evaluating the Effectively Maintained Inequality hypothesis. British Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science, 15(2), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.9734/bjesbs/2016/24563
• Will the Use of Contextual Indicators Make UK Higher Education Admissions Fairer?
  
  Boliver, V., Gorard, S., & Siddiqui, N. (2015). Will the Use of Contextual Indicators Make UK Higher Education Admissions Fairer?. Education Sciences, 5(4), 306-322. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci5040306
• Are there distinctive clusters of higher and lower status universities in the UK?
  
  Boliver, V. (2015). Are there distinctive clusters of higher and lower status universities in the UK?. Oxford Review of Education, 41(5), 608-627. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2015.1082905
• Lies, damned lies, and statistics on widening access to Russell Group universities
  
  Boliver, V. (2015). Lies, damned lies, and statistics on widening access to Russell Group universities. Radical Statistics., 113, 29-38.
• Social Mobility Over Three Generations in Finland: A Critique
  
  Chan, T., & Boliver, V. (2014). Social Mobility Over Three Generations in Finland: A Critique. European Sociological Review, 30(1), 13-17. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jct012
• The grandparents effect in social mobility: evidence from British birth cohort studies
  
  Chan, T. W., & Boliver, V. (2013). The grandparents effect in social mobility: evidence from British birth cohort studies. American Sociological Review, 78(4), 662-678. https://doi.org/10.1177/0003122413489130
• How fair is access to more prestigious UK Universities?
  
  Boliver, V. (2013). How fair is access to more prestigious UK Universities?. British Journal of Sociology, 64(2), 344-364. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-4446.12021
• Education Under New Labour, 1997-2010
  
  Heath, A., Sullivan, A., Boliver, V., & Zimdars, A. (2013). Education Under New Labour, 1997-2010. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 29(1), 227-247. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxrep/grt003
• Social mobility: the politics, the reality, the alternative
  
  Boliver, V., & Byrne, D. (2013). Social mobility: the politics, the reality, the alternative. Soundings: A Journal of Politics and Culture, Winter 2013(55).
• Schools and social mobility
  
  Boliver, V., & Swift, A. (2012). Schools and social mobility. Sociological Review, 22(2).
• Do comprehensive schools reduce social mobility?
  
  Boliver, V., & Swift, A. (2011). Do comprehensive schools reduce social mobility?. British Journal of Sociology, 62(1), 89-110. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-4446.2010.01346.x
• Comprehensive schools and social mobility
  
  Boliver, V., & Swift, A. (2011). Comprehensive schools and social mobility. Renewal: A Journal of Social Democracy, 19(2), 32-36.
• Expansion, differentiation, and the persistence of social class inequalities in British higher education.
  
  Boliver, V. (2010). Expansion, differentiation, and the persistence of social class inequalities in British higher education. Higher Education, 61(3), 229-242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-010-9374-y

Newspaper/Magazine Article

• Why do elite universities admit so few ethnic minority applicants?
  
  Boliver, V. (2014, July). Why do elite universities admit so few ethnic minority applicants?. The Guardian.

Other (Digital/Visual Media)

• Fair access means admitting more applicants with lower grades
  
  Gorard, S., Boliver, V., & Siddiqui, N. (2019). Fair access means admitting more applicants with lower grades [Blog]. WONKHE.
• Funneling funds to elite universities won’t guarantee world ranking success
  
  Boliver, V., & David, M. (2015, December 16). Funneling funds to elite universities won’t guarantee world ranking success. The Conversation.
• Should students from state schools be given priority access to university?
  
  Boliver, V., & Gorard, S. (2015, September 22). Should students from state schools be given priority access to university?. The Conversation.
• Fewer top university offers go to black and Asian students, but UCAS research doesn’t explain why
  
  Boliver, V. (2015, September 18). Fewer top university offers go to black and Asian students, but UCAS research doesn’t explain why. The Conversation.
• University admissions data must be made available to academic researchers
  
  Boliver, V. (2015, February 26). University admissions data must be made available to academic researchers. Economics of Higher Education.
• Universities must act collectively to remedy lower offer rates for ethnic minority applicants
  
  Boliver, V. (2015, February 6). Universities must act collectively to remedy lower offer rates for ethnic minority applicants. Society for Research into Higher Education Blog.
• Universities must aim higher on ethnic equality and diversity
  
  Boliver, V. (2015, February 3). Universities must aim higher on ethnic equality and diversity. The Conversation.
• Are top universities biased against ethnic minority students?
  
  Boliver, V. (2015). Are top universities biased against ethnic minority students?. Integration Hub Blog.
• Ethnicity trumps school background as a predictor of admission to elite UK universities
  
  Parel, K., & Boliver, V. (2014, May 9). Ethnicity trumps school background as a predictor of admission to elite UK universities. Economics of Higher Education.
• Hard Evidence: why aren’t there more black British students at elite universities?
  
  Boliver, V. (2014, January 1). Hard Evidence: why aren’t there more black British students at elite universities?. The Conversation.
• Access to Britain’s top universities is far from fair
  
  Boliver, V. (2013, April 20). Access to Britain’s top universities is far from fair. University World News.

Report

• Using contextualised admissions to widen access to higher education: a guide to the evidence base
  
  Boliver, V., Gorard, S., & Siddiqui, N. (2019). Using contextualised admissions to widen access to higher education: a guide to the evidence base. Economic and Social Research Council .
• Admissions in Context: The use of contextual information by leading universities
  
  Boliver, V., Crawford, C., Powell, M., & Craige, W. (2017). Admissions in Context: The use of contextual information by leading universities.
• Mapping and evaluating the use of contextual data in undergraduate admissions in Scotland
  
  Boliver, V., Gorard, S., Powell, M., & Moreira, T. (2017). Mapping and evaluating the use of contextual data in undergraduate admissions in Scotland.

Working Paper

• Evaluation of Supported Progression (SP) schemes offered by Durham University
  
  Siddiqui, N., Gorard, S., & Boliver, V. (2023). Evaluation of Supported Progression (SP) schemes offered by Durham University.
• Private providers of higher education in the UK: mapping the terrain
  
  Hunt, S., & Boliver, V. (2019). Private providers of higher education in the UK: mapping the terrain.
• Which are the most suitable contextual indicators for use in widening participation to HE?
  
  Gorard, S., Boliver, V., Siddiqui, N., Banerjee, P., & Morris, R. (2017). Which are the most suitable contextual indicators for use in widening participation to HE?. Education working paper series.
• Social mobility over three generations in Britain
  
  Chan, T., & Boliver, V. (2011). Social mobility over three generations in Britain.
• Maximally maintained inequality and effectively maintained inequality in education: operationalizing the expansion-inequality relationship
  
  Boliver, V. (2010). Maximally maintained inequality and effectively maintained inequality in education: operationalizing the expansion-inequality relationship.
• Social inequalities of access to higher status universities in the UK: the role of university admissions decisions
  
  Boliver, V. (2006). Social inequalities of access to higher status universities in the UK: the role of university admissions decisions.
• Widening participation and fair access at the University of Oxford
  
  Boliver, V. (2004). Widening participation and fair access at the University of Oxford.