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The skills secretary has announced that nine of England's leading universities are to launch US-style talent-spotting recruitment campaigns.
John Denham said on Wednesday that Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, King's College London, Leeds, Leicester, Newcastle, Southampton and Warwick universities will seek to attract bright pupils from poorer backgrounds and lower-achieving schools.
However the plan could prove controversial as it will allow the institutions to offer conditional places based on lower A-level grades than would normally be required.
"I have always been clear that we must allow the most talented and hard working of our young people to achieve their full potential, irrespective of what kind of social background they came from, or the school they went to," Denham said.
"This does not mean imposing admissions policies on universities.
"But it does mean universities recognising their full responsibilities in helping to seek out and develop the best of talents."
Aspiration
The news comes after Denham got involved in a public row with the leaders of Oxford and Cambridge universities, who are not taking part in the scheme, over what they see as the government's social engineering.
But speaking to the Labour Party conference in Manchester on Wednesday, Denham said it was right to encourage the aspirations of young people.
"Ten years ago, too many of our kids thought university wasn't for them," he argued.
"In 2008, in every part of the country, in every social group, more than half of all our young people say: 'I want to go to university.'
"So when we say we want half of young people to go to university, all we're saying is: 'we share your dreams.' We want to make it possible.
"Any of our universities can be the best university for the right student.
"Just yesterday, nine of the most selective universities told me they want to find new ways of guaranteeing bright young people the chance to show what they can achieve, regardless of the school they come from."
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd