Exploring Superdiversity through a large scale cross-university project on degree attainment supporting institutional ch

1. Exploring Superdiversity through a large scale cross-university project on degree attainment supporting institutional change Christine Rose Director of Student Affairs Elena Moreno Careers Coordinator, Office of Student Affairs

2. What is superdiversity? - Complexity, transience, differentiation “A notion intended to underline a level and kind of complexity surpassing anything the country has previously experienced. Such a condition is distinguished by a dynamic multiplay of variables among an increased number of new, small and scattered, multiple-origin, transnationally connected socio-economically differentiated and legally stratified immigrants who have arrived over the last decade.” S. Vertovec, 2006, Working Paper No. 25, Centre on Migration, Policy & Society, University of Oxford.

3. Context: Superdiversity • Student Body: • Home students (on campus) 20,565 • International Students (on campus) 4,501 • Home BME students – nearly half • International students: Indian, Pakistani, • Bangladeshi, Nigerian, Mauritian • 2007/2008 HEIDI (HESA) data showed a BME • figure nationally of 16% • London hosts nearly half (46%) of England’s • BME population

4. HOW HAS THE PROJECT SUPPORTED INSTUTIONAL CHANGE? • Mixed professional teams • Project coordination • Raising the profile up the institutional agenda • Curriculum development • Catalytic work – the Single Equality Scheme/Equality Impact Assessment • Establishing a resource base of knowledge and enquiry into particular BME groups • A new model of intervention for student support • The future : A focus on curriculum development

5. Mixed Professional Team: Vehicle for Creativity PROS • Differing disciplinary perspectives • Sharing with those who have ‘applied’ approach • Volunteered – sharing enthusiasm and commitment in ‘start up’ mode • Engagement with wider university perspectives • Developmental team/HEA inputs • Sharing/resolving contentious issues CONS • Wide variations in outcomes • Possibility of overstretching, diluting impact • Perceived by others as ‘champions’ • Time to meet and carry out activities • A number of significant but important objectives need to be met • Stronger as a team than as individuals in confronting contentious issues

6. A LARGE SCALE CROSS UNIVERSITY PROJECT Research/Enquiry Clarification of Data (Planning & Stats) Student Survey Literature Reviews Materials for Tutors • Curriculum Development & Classroom Practice • School of Science • School of Humanities & Social Sciences • School of Education Cross University Project Team Project Coordinator, Academics, central professional services, educational development staff • Communication, Development & Dissemination • Core project Team • HEA/ECU sponsorship • Educational Development • Committee Structure • Policy/Audit • Single Equality Scheme • Equality Impact Assessment: • Programme Review & Validation • Assessment Student Support Office of Student Affairs: Welfare & Student Support Guidance & Employability The Accelerated Programme

7. Role of Coordinator: Integration of the project strands • Facilitative not managerial – head of an Academic Support Department • Negotiation horizontally and laterally • Local arrangements because of devolved nature of Office of Student Affairs • Commitment to a holistic approach • Chairing, time management • Objective/output setting • Team based with clear allocation of responsibility

8. Raising Profile up the Institutional Agenda • Corporate responsibility – seeking funding • Project leader a member of the senior team and Executive • Tapping into relevant sections of key corporate policies/Governor responsibilities • Linked into successes of a previous funded cross university project • Focus on compliance issues of Single Equality Scheme and Equality Impact Assessments • Ensuring it is raised as an item on key university committees

9. Curriculum Development “There is general agreement about the efficacy of telling BME students early on about differential degree attainment whilst being explicit about raising expectations and improving skills”. SCHOOL OF SCIENCE: PROGRAMME BASED BSc PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE • Significant numbers of BME students • Through programme review focus on enhancing the experience of students • A focus on discussion of ethnicity and cultural difference – through the tutor • system • Key leaders of industry, including BME role models, gave ‘motivational’ talks • Good student feedback • Effectiveness judged on success rates of BME students compared to previous years and compared to other programmes

10. School of Humanities and Social Sciences: BA Sociology • 30% BME students on the programme • Through Programme Review focus on curriculum, teaching styles • and pedagogy • Curriculum focus on issues of ethnicity and global politics. Also • use of texts written by BME academics • Embedding of approaches to employability and study skills • Provision of course readers to ensure good access to texts • Greater focus on pedagogy and teaching practice involving peer • review and increased use of personal tutoring • Seen as a three year strategy to enhance the student experience • over three years

11. INCLUSIVE PEDAGOGYSchool of Education “Engagement with inclusive pedagogy and practice must of necessity recognise the ideological implications of policies that seek to redress the multiple disadvantages that are deeply implicated in a colonial history and ongoing internal colonial history that, we as academics, are reluctant to acknowledge.” • Identified pedagogical questions in relation to BME students and degree attainment. • In-school forum for BME students focussing on race, diversity and inclusivity • Making explicit assumptions about a defecit model of BME students • Creation of good practice case studies of inclusive pedagogy • Masking/clouding patterns of racism at a number of levels • Create a culture for staff to move beyond the individual/personal to a critical and political understanding of exploring BME students’ experiences

12. Resource Base of Knowledge • Clarifying data • Student survey • Literature reviews • Tutor guidance materials • Qualitative research Case Studies: Students from an African background a) High Achieving British Ghanian PhD Student b) High Achieving British Student with Sierra Leone as country of origin: Masters Student c) Nigerian International Status Postgraduate Student

13. Acceleration Programme Feedback and statistics

14. Ratio of Male to Female participants

15. Breakdown of Ethnicity

16. Breakdown of Religion

17. Year of study

18. Course of study

19. Ratio of students working part-time

20. Initial rating of skills

21. Initial rating of skills

22. Feedback

23. Below the graph shows the individuals self ranking before and after the programme Journey travelled to date Student no.1 Areas you would like to be addressed in subsequent seminars: How to broaden an essay question, how to broaden areas of research Key barriers you feel are preventing you from progressing further : Revision, essay preparation

24. Below the graph shows the individuals self ranking before and after the programme Journey travelled to date Student no.2 Areas you would like to be addressed in subsequent seminars: Have more sessions and closer together, lost motivation in between and having extra classes would have kept me motivated to continue. Actual essay writing, the body and structure and exam preparation. Key barriers you feel are preventing you from progressing further: Lack of confidence.

25. Below the graph shows the individuals self ranking before and after the programme Journey travelled to date Areas you would like to be addressed in subsequent seminars: Structuring essays to achieve a high mark, employability and exam revision. Have meeting regular and closer together Key barriers you feel are preventing you from progressing further: I have improved my reading and managing time but I have not improved my essays. Essays structuring, and self confidence . Student no.3

26. What you found least useful What you found most useful • Breaks over a long period of time (sessions should occur regularly) • Planning and prioritising my goals • Hearing other peoples issues • Academic Writing • Essay writing structures • Communication Skills • Finding an achievable goal • Identifying personal problems • Time management

27. WHAT NEXT? BME Students and Graduate Degree Attainment: The Project Next Year • Further analysis of recent data on degree results • 3 Schools will broaden out their curriculum development to other programmes and departments • 1 new school (Computing and Mathematical Sciences) to become involved • Qualitative research of high achieving BME students • Tutorial guidance materials provided • Single Equality Scheme launched (December 2010) • Six equality impact assessments undertaken, more next year

28. GREENWICH GRADUATE INITIATIVE: • A Mechanism for Curriculum Reform. • Intended to maximise the achievement of students through providing a distinctive approach to learning and teaching → achievement of graduate attributes – links Schools, Learning and Quality Unit, OSA and an expanded Educational Development Unit • Three key skill sets: • Creativity and enterprise • Scholarship and autonomy • Cross cultural and international awareness – give students the • aptitude to deal with differences and contradictions in a diverse and • complex works. They will be able to: • function effectively in groups whose members are from diverse • backgrounds • Be aware of the consequences of acting in an unsustainable • manner which extends beyond their own national community • Have insight into how their actions and the actions of others are • subject to cultural and environmental influences

29. BME Degree Attainment Project Team Project Leader: Christine Rose: rc06@gre.ac.uk Office of Student Affairs: Kirsteen Coupar: K.Coupar@gre.ac.uk Tricia Duffield: P.M.A.Duffield@gre.ac.uk Eleanor Kehoe: E.Kehoe@gre.ac.uk Elena Moreno: E.Moreno@gre.ac.uk Robert Sookhan: sr07@gre.ac.uk Lynn Thirkettle: L.Thirkettle@gre.ac.uk Educational Development: Rita Headington: R.Headington@gre.ac.uk Simon Walker: S.Walker@gre.ac.uk School of Education: Caroline Ukoumunne: C.N.I.Ukoumunne@gre.ac.uk Mark Webb: M.Webb@gre.ac.uk School of Humanities & Social Sciences: Linnell Secomb: L.Secomb@gre.ac.uk School of Science: Solomon Habtemariam: S.Habtemariam@gre.ac.uk Lucie Pollard: L.V.Pollard@gre.ac.uk