Context and overview

1. Context and overview Gary Loke, Equality Challenge Unit Jane Berry, Higher Education Academy

2. Background Long standing recognition of differential degree attainment across ethnic groups. Desire to investigate causal factors: Since 1996 Connor report. Two major studies undertaken 2007/08, building on earlier research showing that difference in attainment cannot be explained by age, prior attainment or subject of study:

3. The studies ‘Ethnicity and Degree Attainment’ Broecke, S. and Nicholls, T. for (former) DfES (2007): Wider range of possible explanatory factors taken into account; Differential narrowed but ethnicity still statistically significant factor in explaining final attainment even after controlling for majority of factors expected to have an impact: Except in case of ‘Other Black’, ‘Mixed’ and ‘Other’ groups; Gap widest for Black Caribbean, Black African and Chinese.

4. The studies ‘Ethnicity, Gender and Degree Attainment Project’ – Higher Education Academy and ECU – for (former) DIUS, HEFCE, and HEFCW with support from Universities UK and Guild HE (2008): Focus on ethnicity and gender; Research outcomes did not contradict findings from DfES study – ethnicity still appears to be a factor in attainment; Findings offered sufficient basis for immediate action within the sector.

5. What the research told us No simple answer to ‘why the difference’; Differentials vary across BME groups; Unlikely to be reducible to single, knowable factors for Black (or any other) group of students – individuals have multiple identities! Data collection/analysis has dominated sector response, followed by student support interventions. Level of response highly variable across HEIs. Agenda often subsumed within Retention/WP agendas.

6. Some of the challenges • Issues for institutions very context specific: • Size, makeup, distribution of BME student population. • And sensitive! • BME students not a homogeneous group. • Under-achievement not necessarily related to issue under control of HEIs. • Just ‘one more issue’ for staff to address.

7. The sector’s response Commitment to take forward recommendations: Local action e.g. improving institutional intelligence; Cross-sector activity e.g. sharing of practice; Support from sector/staff representatives and funding councils e.g. to feed into existing work and relevant agendas; And from sector agencies: ECU/Higher Education Academy e.g. dissemination, institutional support, resource development, integration.

8. ECU/Academy response Joint programme of activity from 2008/09 to: Identify more examples of initiatives to address differential attainment of BME students; Facilitate work within and across HEIs to address issues raised by the project; Disseminate learning from programme activities; Promote on-going dialogue across sector e.g. via research seminar series.

9. Summit Programme For institutional teams; Provided framework to develop, implement and evaluate policies and/or practices to improve degree attainment of Black and minority ethnic students; Cross- and inter-institutional working through programme of events and activities; 12 month programme, March 2009 – February 2010; Sharing of learning with the sector.

10. Summit programme teams • University of the Arts London; • Aston University; • University of Bedfordshire; • University of Bradford; • Coventry University; • University of Greenwich; • University of Hertfordshire; • Leeds Metropolitan University;

11. Summit programme teams • London Metropolitan University; • University of Northampton; • The Open University; • University of Portsmouth; • Roehampton University; • Teesside University; • University of Westminster.

12. Aims of today bring researchers, practitioners, policy makers, managers and students together to share and discuss best practices; disseminate action orientated institutional research and development initiatives that offer pointers for making in-roads into reducing the BME attainment gap; continue to raise the profile of the agenda and generate new ideas for research; provide teams participating in the ‘summit programme’ with an opportunity to network and disseminate their work to a wider audience.

13. References/resources • Connor, H. et al. Differences by Degrees. Institute for Employment Studies Report 309. • http://www.employment-studies.co.uk/pubs/report.php?id=309 • Broecke, S. and Nicholls, T. (2007), Ethnicity and Degree Attainment, DfES Research Report RW92. • Ethnicity, Gender and Degree Attainment Project: final report. Higher Education Academy/ECU (2008) • http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/projects/detail/inclusion/Ethnicity_Degree_Attainment_project

14. References/resources • Summit programme reflective papers: • http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/ourwork/inclusion/EthnicitySummit • Research seminar papers: • http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/teachingandlearning/inclusion/alldisplay?type=resources&newid=ourwork/inclusion/RSS2009MasterPage&site=york • Race Equality Toolkit (revised version forthcoming): • www.universities-scotland.ac.uk/raceequalitytoolkit/

15. References/resources • Student ethnicity. Profile and progression of entrants to full-time, first degree study. HEFCE (2010) • http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2010/10_13/