Cambridge University has been accused of discriminating against privately educated students in its admissions process by the vice-chancellor of the University of Buckingham, Professor James Tooley.

Professor Tooley told The Times that “Cambridge is absolutely being discriminatory against the privately educated, particularly privately educated white males”.

The percentage of students from state schools admitted into Cambridge has grown in recent years with 72.5% of admissions in the 2022 cycle coming from the maintained sector compared to 63.3% a decade ago.

Tooley also argued that the University was “increasing the number of ethnic minority males and females, and females in general, and are therefore reducing the number of white males”.

This was the direct result of admissions policies being “undermined” by the government, he added.

Tooley directed blame towards the Office for Students, which requires institutions to have access and participation schemes in place for students from under-represented backgrounds, as well as charities such as Advance HE, the Athena Swan charter for gender equality, and the Research Excellence Framework.

“There is the potential for the regulator to use conditions of registration to interfere with academic freedom. They’re already using them to interfere with the selection of students”, Tooley claimed.

His comments come after the University of Buckingham prepared to launch an online course on the ‘woke movement’, which he claimed was inspired by Margaret Thatcher, the University’s co-founder and former chancellor.

“She’s sitting behind me on my shoulder, as it were. And saying, go, James”, Tooley stated.

Cambridge’s admissions policy states that its principal aim is to “offer admission to students of the highest intellectual potential, irrespective of social, racial, religious and financial considerations”.

It also notes that it has implemented a “widening participation strategy” aimed at ensuring that “students with the ability to succeed at Cambridge aren’t deterred from applying by any misconceptions that may surround the University”.

Cambridge University was contacted for comment.