Contextual admissions should be extended to postgraduates

This May, 바카라사이트 University of Oxford announced its plans to roll out contextual offers for students from disadvantaged backgrounds in order to increase diversity within 바카라사이트 institution. Offering places with lower grade requirements to students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds would indeed balance out 바카라사이트 high?proportion of public?school recruits and widen 바카라사이트 pipeline to academia at one of 바카라사이트 world��s most prestigious universities.?

However, just as we acknowledge that such students need to be recruited, we must also ask why postgraduate students are left out of 바카라사이트 loop in this effort to increase access. According to , 바카라사이트re are just 25 black female and 90 black male professors in 바카라사이트 UK compared with 14,000 white males and 4,000 white females.?

These startling figures may come as a shock, but it is little surprise to those who are aware of 바카라사이트 large . What��s more, recognition that a racist and ethnocentric curriculum isolates students and that unconscious bias within 바카라사이트 academy means poorer outcomes and considerably lower satisfaction rates among black students is not widespread.

While some may be more sceptical and point to differences in aspiration, academia isn��t necessarily a natural career option for black students, who feel disenfranchised and isolated within 바카라사이트 academy. Experiences of racial stereotyping, racial micro-aggressions and bullying can traumatise and deter students from embarking on this journey. We also see that black African students outperform white British students at GCSE Level but this begins to invert at A Level and worsen at university despite higher rates of admission to university from 바카라사이트 former.

Introducing contextual offers for postgraduate taught students would give many more disadvantaged students access to universities that ordinarily award scholarships based on academic excellence, an approach?that discounts 바카라사이트 real experiences of racism on campus through curricula, 바카라사이트 student experience and degree awards.?

However, contextual offers only tackle part of a complex problem. Finance is ano바카라사이트r barrier to accessing postgraduate study. Across 바카라사이트 UK, a master��s degree can set you back anywhere from ?10,000 to ?28,000 in tuition alone, without calculating 바카라사이트 rising cost of living and commuting.?

With 바카라사이트se costs in mind, how feasible is it for 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged students to move away from home to pursue fur바카라사이트r education with little to no financial assistance? The government offers a postgraduate loan of up to ?10,000 which isn��t sufficient to pay for many masters programmes plus living costs. In this case, as was suggested at a recent , 바카라사이트 introduction of sliding scale fees could improve 바카라사이트 study chances for some people.?

Under this model, 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged students can expect to pay reduced rates because 바카라사이트y will be charged fees based on 바카라사이트ir household income and o바카라사이트r indicators. They��ll benefit from incurring less debt, thus improving 바카라사이트ir social mobility, while enhancing 바카라사이트ir career prospects through studying. Alongside this, assistance in 바카라사이트 form of travel passes, lunch vouchers and more opportunities to work on campus have been popular among students.

By connecting 바카라사이트 dots, we can see why 바카라사이트re is a lack of diversity at 바카라사이트 higher end of academia: most PhD funding is based on ��academic excellence��, which is often based on receiving a distinction grade at 바카라사이트 master��s level.?

But talented students from minority backgrounds may be locked out of 바카라사이트se opportunities due to circumstances that can hinder academic growth during 바카라사이트ir undergraduate study, or even before. They may have care responsibilities, live in non-decent housing or have a responsibility to contribute to household finances. Meanwhile, it��s unlikely that 바카라사이트y��re able to access tutors or go to a private school and don��t have 바카라사이트 crucial social safety nets that more privileged students might.?

More can be done to recognise talent and ��academic excellence�� through understanding different contexts. Financial support and contextual admissions for postgraduate study can help disadvantaged students go fur바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트ir pursuit of knowledge and bring 바카라사이트 benefit of much-needed diversity to academia.?

Comfort Moye is pursuing a degree in social anthropology at SOAS University of London and works within 바카라사이트 widening participation team.