Professor Steve Strand of the University of Oxford has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. The fellowship recognizes his national and international work in equity and social justice within education.
The Academy, which includes 1,700 leading social scientists from academia and other sectors, elects fellows based on their excellence and significant contributions to social science that benefit the public. The selection process involves independent peer review.
Professor Strand expressed his appreciation for the recognition, stating: "I am honoured to be elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, and delighted to join such an extraordinary group of scholars. I am indebted to the many colleagues, schools and students who have contributed to this line of work over the years. This recognition would not have been possible without them".
His research focuses on ethnic, social class, and gender disparities in educational outcomes, with a particular interest in how equity relates to school effectiveness. Professor Strand commented on recent trends: "Equity gaps in educational achievement in England have closed substantially over the last 30 years. For example, achievement gaps have closed entirely for the vast majority of ethnic minority groups. However, social class remains a dominant issue, and White British and Black Caribbean pupils from working class homes continue to have the poorest outcomes. Whether it’s achievement at the end of Reception Year at age 4/5, or entry to Higher Education at age 18/19, these groups are at the bottom of the pile.
"We have to continue to strive to ensure that all students, regardless of their background, have the opportunity to succeed academically".
Professor Strand has published more than 100 articles in international journals and serves as joint editor for the Oxford Review of Education. He is also involved with several editorial boards for other academic publications. His expertise includes quantitative analysis using large-scale longitudinal datasets such as those from UK education studies.
He previously served as Special Adviser for a House of Commons committee inquiry into underachievement among White working-class children (2013-14) and was a consultant for government initiatives addressing Black pupils’ achievement and gender issues in education between 2007 and 2009. In 2021, he was commissioned by the Government Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities to analyze educational attainment at age 16.
Currently, Professor Strand contributes to advisory groups for various Department for Education longitudinal studies focused on special educational needs and young people's outcomes. He has also held roles with professional organizations such as serving on the British Educational Research Association’s Executive Council (2000-2003) and participating fully in the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 Panel for Education.
In recognition of his services to equality and human rights, Professor Strand received an OBE in the New Year Honours list for 2025.