OXFORD University says it was 'thrilled' to welcome a record proportion of British freshers last year from black and ethnic minority backgrounds.

More than 22 per cent of undergraduates starting in 2019 were from such backgrounds, up from 18 per cent on the year before, the university said yesterday.

The overall proportion of black students admitted rose from 2.6 per cent in 2018 to 3.1 per cent in 2019.

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Martin Williams, pro-vice-chancellor for education at the university, said: "I am thrilled to share that our efforts to widen access and build a university environment where talented students, from every background and region, are welcome and would want to be here, are moving in the right direction.

"Our access and outreach teams work with schools, families and communities to reach students and provide opportunities for them to decide for themselves based on facts and what we have to offer them – not hearsay, or long-held perceptions, whether Oxford is the place for them.

"All students need to feel and trust that Oxford is somewhere they feel welcome, valued and respected, and that their wellbeing matters to the university."

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Last week the university unveiled the Oxford–Arlan Hamilton and Earline Butler Sims Scholarship – its first dedicated, fully-funded scholarship at undergraduate level for black British students from disadvantaged backgrounds, provided by tech entrepreneur Arlan Hamilton.

In May, two new initiatives – Opportunity Oxford and Foundation Oxford - were also announced to increase diversity at the university.