first 'first'

Congratulations to my nephew who gained a first class degree from Bristol. This is tremendously good news and we are all extremely proud of his significant achievement! I'm pleased he continued to work hard through, what must have at times, seemed daunting challenges. As far as I know, this is the first 'first' in our families.

It's also good that he achieved this at a progressive university; one where widening participation is a reality. It must be rewarding to work in an environment that includes people from all of UK's communities. I know other universities where multiculturalism is defined merely by the number of overseas students recruited. Taking on more students from abroad doesn't make a university multicultural; it just adds income. Sometimes, you are doing that at an unacceptable cost to the undeniable talent which makes up UK's diverse community home students....