Dr Omar Khan
Chief Executive Officer
Dr Omar Khan joined TASO in June 2020.
Omar has led TASO’s transition into an independent charity, developing its team and strategy to widen participation in higher education and eliminate equality gaps between students. His research and professional background has focused on equality and social mobility, particularly in education and the labour market, and he regularly speaks on these topics in the UK and globally.
Omar holds several board advisory positions, including chair of the board of trustees of Trust for London, trustee of the Political Studies Association. Omar has previously been a board or advisory group member at the University of East London, the Barrow Cadbury Trust, the Financial Inclusion Commission, the Department for Work and Pensions, the 2021 REF and 2014 REF assessments, and a 2012 Clore Social Leadership Fellow.
Omar joined TASO from race equality think tank the Runnymede Trust, where he had been Director since 2014, growing the organisation and increasing its profile. He completed a doctorate in political science from the University of Oxford in 2008.
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Blog
21 October 2025
Dr Omar Khan, TASO CEO, reflects on the government’s post-16 education and skills white paper, welcoming its focus on evidence and addressing inequality
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Blog
31 July 2025
TASO CEO reflects on the findings of an evaluation of TASO, conducted by Technopolis between 2019 and 2023.
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Blog
13 May 2025
How can higher education meaningfully address inequality through better implementation, rigorous evaluation, and stronger public narratives?
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Blog
3 December 2024
Dr Omar Khan, CEO at TASO, reflects on the findings of Social Market Foundation’s report on how to support care-experienced and estranged students to succeed in higher education, and discusses the role TASO could take in ensuring this group receives effective support.
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Blog
13 November 2024
Omar Khan, CEO at TASO, discusses the launch of the Higher Education Evaluation Library (HEEL) and its potential to support enhanced evaluation practices and collaborative learning across the sector.
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Blog
7 August 2024
TASO CEO Dr Omar Khan explores how funding shortfalls threaten to widen the gap in higher education participation between disadvantaged and advantaged students, with significant implications for individual opportunity as well as the broader economy.
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Blog
14 May 2024
TASO’s fourth annual conference last week was jam-packed, filled with panel discussions, practical breakout sessions and exclusive looks at our latest evaluation guidance to help delegates craft effective evaluations. Dr Omar Khan, CEO at TASO reflects on the conference and the progress we and the sector have made in the past four years.
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Blog
13 May 2024
For Mental Health Awareness Week, Dr Omar Khan, CEO at TASO, discusses how TASO plans to merge awareness with action to enhance support for student mental health and to create a proactive culture of wellbeing in higher education.
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Blog
30 April 2024
TASO CEO Dr Omar Khan discusses our recent research on reasonable adjustments and transition support for disabled students, and the importance of using evidence to move the needle on fair access to education for all.
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Blog
21 March 2024
For the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Dr Omar Khan, CEO of TASO, delves into the history and significance of the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, highlighting the ongoing struggle for racial equality and the urgent need for action.
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Blog
19 December 2023
TASO CEO Dr Omar Khan shares his thoughts on a busy year at TASO, and discusses opportunities for 2024.
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Blog
19 December 2022
TASO Director Dr Omar Khan shares his thought on a busy and productive year for TASO – and the challenges that lie ahead.
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Blog
21 December 2021
TASO Director Dr Omar Khan reflects on a year of transition for TASO set against the backdrop of ongoing challenges caused by the COVID pandemic.
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Blog
22 November 2021
Dr Omar Khan (Director, TASO) reflects on the findings of the latest Evaluation of TASO report, conducted by Technopolis
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Blog
22 October 2021
Dr Omar Khan considers persisting inequalities in HE and what can be done to change things at a systemic or institutional level.
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Blog
28 January 2021
The coronavirus pandemic has brought existing social inequalities sharply into focus. It has also exacerbated them. Groups in society who previously faced an uphill battle in terms of healthcare, jobs or education are now at an increasing disadvantage.
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Blog
27 November 2020
Like every year, this August on ‘A-level day’ there was an intense focus on who gets into university in Britain. In 2020 there were fewer positive stories than usual – particularly of students who achieve high results and are the first in their families to go to universities – and rather more focus on fairness of who got it in where.
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Blog
1 September 2020
Omar Khan argues that unless we dramatically expand university places as demand increases, “levelling up” will prove harder than ever.
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Blog
25 June 2020
Covid-19 is hitting the most disadvantaged the hardest. It’s even more vital to know what works in addressing participation and attainment gaps, says Omar Khan in a recent article for Wonkhe.
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Report
This report examines how higher education providers can embed inclusion and reduce equality gaps through whole-provider approaches – institution-wide strategies that align policies, practices, and people around shared goals.
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Report
This report examines how those with experience of children’s social care access and progress within higher education.
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Report
This report examines student mental health in the UK in 2024, with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ students, using survey data collected from thousands of undergraduates.
