Personal profile
Research interests
- Geographies of education
- Widening participation to Higher Education
- Returns to education
- Education policy and social mobility
I have been at the University of Bath since 2017, first completing a PhD examining the role of place in access to the UK’s elite universities for English-domiciled entrants and more recently working as a Research Associate for two UKRI-funded research projects. The first of these explored the geography of labour market returns to Further Education. The second ongoing project - From the Centre to the Periphery - led by Prof Michael Donnelly, seeks to evaluate the UK government’s Opportunity Areas programme (2017-2022) which focused on improving young people's outcomes in 12 social mobility cold spots across England.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 4 Quality Education
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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From the centre to the periphery: evaluating the opportunity areas programme
Donnelly, M. (PI), Brown, C. (CoI), Dickson, M. (CoI), Pearce, N. (CoI), Cunningham, C. (Researcher) & Davies, J. (Researcher)
Economic and Social Research Council
1/07/24 → 27/09/28
Project: Research council
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Research England PSF 22/23: Further Education Colleges and the Levelling Up Agenda
Dickson, M. (CoI), Donnelly, M. (PI), Lazetic, P. (CoI) & Davies, J. (CoI)
1/12/22 → 31/07/23
Project: Research-related funding
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Young People and Place in Greater Birmingham and Solihull
Donnelly, M. (PI), Brown, C. (CoI), Tomlinson, P. (CoI) & Davies, J. (CoI)
1/03/22 → 30/07/22
Project: UK industry
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Accessing Optimism: Rethinking Wellbeing, Inclusion and Belonging for Young People who are NEET
Cunningham, C., Brown, C., Davies, J., Donnelly, M. & Dickinson, M., 3 Apr 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Youth.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Co-Creation Using Street Art in Cities under Stress in Mexico and Britain
Suarez, P. C., Rothe, H. Q., Davies, J., Horvath, C., Osorio Saez, E. M., Sandoval-Hernández, A. & Van Praag, B., 24 May 2025, Urban Discourses of Crisis, Resilience, and Resistance: Cities Under Stress. Prieto, E., Lanigan, L. & Lappela, A. (eds.). 1st ed. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, p. 425-447 22 p. (Literary Urban Studies).Research output: Chapter or section in a book/report/conference proceeding › Book chapter
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English HE can meet Jacqui Smith’s challenge by embracing devolution
Cunningham, C., Davies, J., Donnelly, M. & Siddiqui, N., 16 May 2025, The Times Higher Education.Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
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Urban Discourses of Crisis, Resilience, and Resistance: Cities Under Stress
Horvath, C., Van Praag, B., Sandoval-Hernández, A., Osorio Saez, E., Davies, J., Rothe, H. Q. & Suarez, P. C., 12 Jul 2025, 1st ed. Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. 483 p. (Literary Urban Studies)Research output: Book/Report › Book
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A Convergence of Opportunities: Understanding the High Elite University Progression of Disadvantaged Youth in an East London Locality
Davies, J., 30 Jun 2024, In: Sociological Research Online. 29, 2, p. 401-417 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (SciVal)
Thesis
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The geographies of access to elite universities: Exploring the role of place for English-domiciled entrants: (Alternative Format Thesis)
Davies, J. (Author), Donnelly, M. (Supervisor), Sandoval Hernandez, A. (Supervisor) & Gregg, P. (Supervisor), 29 Mar 2023Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › PhD
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Activities
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Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Link Seminar
Davies, J. (Speaker), Dickson, M. (Speaker), Donnelly, M. (Speaker), Young, E. (Speaker) & Cunningham, C. (Speaker)
30 Oct 2025Activity: Academic conferences and events (excluding conference publications) › Other academic event (organisation, presentation, attendance)
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Bradford speaks
Cunningham, C. (Organiser), Brown, C. (Organiser), Donnelly, M. (Contributor), Davies, J. (Contributor), Young, E. (Contributor) & Siddiqui, N. (Contributor)
30 Jun 2025Activity: Public, Community and School Engagement › Partnership, collaboration, co-production (incl. advisory and focus groups)
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European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) 2023
Davies, J. (Speaker)
22 Aug 2023 → 25 Aug 2023Activity: Academic conferences and events (excluding conference publications) › Conference presentation / attendance
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European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) 2025
Davies, J. (Speaker) & Young, E. (Speaker)
9 Sept 2025 → 12 Sept 2025Activity: Academic conferences and events (excluding conference publications) › Conference presentation / attendance
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IntoUniversity Partnership Conference 2025
Davies, J. (Speaker)
8 Sept 2025Activity: Academic conferences and events (excluding conference publications) › Conference presentation / attendance