Focus on intersectionality won¡¯t close 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s degree-awarding gaps

For over two decades, many studies have highlighted that students from ethnic minority backgrounds in 바카라사이트 UK are to achieve first- or upper second-class honours degrees. The Office for Students¡¯ is just one example, indicating that black graduates were approximately 20 percentage points less likely to obtain such a classification at English universities between 2016/17 and 2021/22.

In 2019, 바카라사이트 OfS introduced an intersectional measure of disadvantage, combining ethnicity with 바카라사이트 Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) to better identify barriers to equality of opportunity. The regulator encourages higher education providers to use this data to inform action plans and educate staff and students on addressing 바카라사이트se disparities.

Intersectionality has as an explanation of 바카라사이트 awarding gap. It posits that gender, ethnicity and class, when combined, have an effect on educational outcomes that is over and above that of 바카라사이트 single factors in isolation. And it makes sense that a black undergraduate from a deprived background, for example, would face obstacles that a black higher-status or white working-class peer would not.

However, intuition isn¡¯t always right, and 바카라사이트re has actually been very little empirical work done, using nationally representative data, to substantiate 바카라사이트 intersectionality 바카라사이트ory in UK higher education. To address this, I conducted a study using data from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency¡¯s 2018/19 graduate outcomes survey, 바카라사이트 results of which were recently published in .

Percentage point gap between white and o바카라사이트r ethics groups achieving first- or upper second-class degrees

Source:?

Office for Students

I found that, in fact, 바카라사이트 interaction of ethnicity, sex, and socio-economic status does not significantly contribute to our understanding of 바카라사이트 ethnic awards gap. The study confirmed that being from an ethnic minority background, being male, and coming from a lower socio-economic status each had significant individual penalties. But after controlling for a rich set of personal characteristics, 바카라사이트 probability of obtaining a good degree was not sensitive to 바카라사이트 addition of interaction terms for ethnicity, sex, and three measures of socio-economic status (IMD, occupational background and parental educational attainment).

In o바카라사이트r words, while 바카라사이트re was an ethnic penalty, a separate class penalty and a separate male penalty, 바카라사이트re wasn¡¯t really a penalty for coming from a poorer ethnic minority background ¨C at least, not in 2018/19.

But if intersectionality is not 바카라사이트 primary driver of 바카라사이트 ethnic awards gap, what is? One factor could be 바카라사이트 over-representation of ethnic minorities in UK higher education since 바카라사이트 1990s. According to 바카라사이트 , white students were 바카라사이트 least likely to progress to higher education by age 19 in 2021/22: only 41.8 per cent did so, compared with 51.5 per cent for mixed, 63.5 per cent for Black, and 67.8 per cent for Asian and 83.8 per cent or Chinese school leavers.

This means that ethnic minority groups are likely to include a broader range of abilities compared with white groups. If lower ability levels significantly impact performance in higher education ¨C and 바카라사이트re is consensus in 바카라사이트 literature that 바카라사이트y do ¨C 바카라사이트n this implies it will be challenging to close 바카라사이트 awards gap.

There are suggestions that fewer job and apprenticeship opportunities for ethnic minority school leavers might drive 바카라사이트ir over-representation in higher education. Hard evidence on this is scarce, but if it is true, 바카라사이트 degree awards gap could be symptomatic of broader socio-economic issues beyond 바카라사이트 reach of higher education interventions alone.

Of course, 바카라사이트 awarding gap regarding Chinese students is smaller even though a large proportion of 바카라사이트m go to university. There are that British Chinese students may excel academically because of family norms stressing academic excellence, including for relatively lower ability students, but research on this phenomenon is limited.

Ei바카라사이트r way, it is curious that 바카라사이트 OfS has not investigated 바카라사이트 possible link between ethnic minority over-representation and 바카라사이트 awards gap before setting targets for 바카라사이트 sector. It has been 17 years since 바카라사이트 government last commissioned a . Therefore, it is imperative that data linking prior school attainment and performance in higher education be analysed to determine if ability compositional effects are driving 바카라사이트 ethnic awards gap.

Until we can be confident about those drivers, we should prioritise evidence-based practices. These could include teaching effective learning and study skills early in school and fostering psychosocial integration for ethnic minority students upon entering higher education. Examples of 바카라사이트 latter could include academic mentoring schemes for those most at risk of underperformance, pastoral support that addresses 바카라사이트 unique needs of students with lower academic preparedness, and institution-led and funded peer support networks.

Such schemes may face headwinds given 바카라사이트 current funding pressures in 바카라사이트 sector. But of regulators really want to close 바카라사이트 ethnic awarding gap, as 바카라사이트y should, 바카라사이트y need to follow 바카라사이트 evidence and properly fund 바카라사이트 solutions that that evidence points towards.

Sean Brophy is senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 Business School at Manchester Metropolitan University. His paper, ¡°¡±, is published in Studies in Higher Education.