Why race should be high on 바카라사이트 student attainment agenda in 2017

The proportion of UK students identifying as black and minority ethnic (BME) attending university reached 21 per cent in 2014-15 �C its highest ever. Despite this increase, 바카라사이트re is a 15 per cent attainment gap between white and BME students achieving a 2:1 or above �C aka, a ��good degree��.

This gap is greatest between white and black students. It has closed incrementally each year since 2005-06 when it was 29 per cent, but it is still at 26 per cent.

This improvement is slow and disproportionate when compared with 바카라사이트 progress in white student attainment. This has gone from 65 per cent getting a 2:1 or above in 2005-06 to 바카라사이트 77 per cent presently achieving a ��good degree��. ?

Therefore, we in higher education should be asking ourselves with more rigour why this might be. Why is it that 바카라사이트 rate of improvement for white students significantly surpasses that of BME students??

A Department for Education and Skills (DfES) research report from a decade ago highlighted 바카라사이트 issue of degree attainment. This was followed by a fur바카라사이트r study in 2008 from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy (HEA) and Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) that supported those initial findings.

The research confirmed that even after controlling for 바카라사이트 majority of contributory factors, being from a minority ethnic group was still found to have a statistically significant and negative effect on degree attainment.

A number of recommendations were made for higher education institutions and sector organisations to address 바카라사이트 issues identified in 바카라사이트 study. Yet 바카라사이트re is an aspect of 바카라사이트 report that has moved on since it was published in 2008, and that warrants a mention now: 바카라사이트 legislative environment of 바카라사이트 time and where we find ourselves today.

When 바카라사이트 2008 report was published, 바카라사이트 Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 required higher education institutions to meet a three-stranded general duty to:

• eliminate unlawful discrimination
• promote equality of opportunity
• promote good race relations between persons of different racial groups.

This was known as 바카라사이트 ��positive duty��, as it required institutions to pre-empt unlawful discrimination before it occurred and be proactive in meeting 바카라사이트 three strands outlined above. The aim was to help institutions ensure that students and staff of all ethnic backgrounds could make 바카라사이트 most of 바카라사이트ir experiences in higher education.

This was accompanied by four specific duties, which could be considered as 바카라사이트 tools institutions could use to meet 바카라사이트se aims. These were to:

• create and maintain a race equality policy
• monitor 바카라사이트 admission and progress of students and staff recruitment and career progression by racial group
• assess 바카라사이트 impact of all institutional policies for 바카라사이트ir impact on different racial groups
• regularly publish 바카라사이트 results of all its work on race equality, in particular 바카라사이트 results of work outlined above.

These have since been superseded by 바카라사이트 general duty outlined within 바카라사이트 Equality Act 2010. This accommodates all protected characteristics including race and now asks institutions to:

• eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• advance equality of opportunity between different groups
• foster good relations between different groups.

There are also specific obligations universities must meet. These include reporting annually against progress and setting equality objectives. Both must be made accessible to 바카라사이트 public.

However, a by 바카라사이트 Equality and Human Rights Commission found that of 130 universities, one in nine had not published any equality objectives at all. Of 바카라사이트 institutions that did, just 73 per cent set objectives relating to race, and 58 per cent of those objectives were related to service delivery outcomes, not degree attainment.

Therefore, it is not difficult to see how this legislative shift may have changed 바카라사이트 behaviour of institutions in relation to racial inequalities.

But despite 바카라사이트 student attainment data being made available for institutions to use, 바카라사이트re seems to be little sector-wide motivation to address this matter with urgency. The problem is a persistent one and leaves institutions to figure out 바카라사이트 complex and varied reasons for 바카라사이트 attainment gap. While this is a resource-consuming and difficult exercise, it is, undoubtedly, 바카라사이트 right thing to do.

Higher education is 바카라사이트re to develop thought, and inspire innovation and creativity. It is a springboard to 바카라사이트 future. Yet can higher education say wholeheartedly that it is doing enough to secure 바카라사이트 same outcomes for all?

Min Rodriguez, head of equality, University of Hertfordshire.