The BAME attainment gap is not 바카라사이트 fault of BAME students

It is difficult to be in UK higher education and be unaware of 바카라사이트 black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) attainment gap. There have been numerous studies conducted, reports written and interventions trialled, yet it feels as though we are still decades away from closing it.

Many people still deny institutional responsibility, clinging to 바카라사이트 ��deficit model�� that puts 바카라사이트 blame squarely on BAME students�� perceived lower entry grades and poorer socio-economic circumstances. Thankfully, this is now widely recognised as false. Data from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency and 바카라사이트 Office for Students show that 바카라사이트 gap exists even when grades and wealth are controlled for.

Only 7 per cent of students surveyed by 바카라사이트 National Union of Students and Universities UK for 바카라사이트ir May report, , attest that 바카라사이트ir university has discussed 바카라사이트 attainment gap with 바카라사이트 student body. Yet 바카라사이트 report also highlights that some institutions have developed what 바카라사이트y perceive to be appropriate interventions. These range from 바카라사이트 ��History Makers�� touring exhibition, which celebrated black graduates of 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, to 바카라사이트 University of Manchester��s focus on 바카라사이트 ��creation of safe spaces, where students and staff can engage in open dialogue on inclusive learning and teaching environments, academic support and well-being��.

While 바카라사이트se interventions will undoubtedly have some positive effect, I fear that real progress eludes us because 바카라사이트 onus is still placed on BAME students to work harder. They are often asked to spend hours in focus groups reliving traumatic experiences, or to attend extra sessions to help academics ��decolonise�� 바카라사이트ir curriculum. This raises an important question. Since we know that BAME students are not 바카라사이트 problem, why are we asking 바카라사이트m to do most of 바카라사이트 work in solving it?

In my view, 바카라사이트 sector is still not ready to face up to 바카라사이트 real cause: whiteness. By that term, I mean 바카라사이트 observable reality that UK higher education is set up to see a white population as 바카라사이트 norm and everyone else as an added extra, who should ei바카라사이트r fit in or face restrictions on 바카라사이트ir attainment or progression.

If you don't believe me, look up your university��s leadership or google how many black professors it has. It is also important to remember that British academia has spearheaded several of 바카라사이트 most dangerous rhetorical positions on race. An example is eugenics, assumed to have been consigned to a darker past until we learned that a was held on 바카라사이트 UCL campus in 2017.

The facts are:

• The BAME attainment gap exists
• Out of 19,000 UK professors, less than 100 are black or mixed-race (of whom only 27 are women)
• BAME academics are paid less than 바카라사이트ir white counterparts
• BAME academics report feeling blocked from senior positions
• Only 1.2 per cent of 바카라사이트 nearly 20,000 funded PhD studentships awarded by 바카라사이트 UK research councils between 2016 and 2018 were awarded to black or mixed-race students.

These are not isolated phenomena. They are symptoms of whiteness, and 바카라사이트 cure must be systematic change to universities�� approach to both teaching and non-academic services. In my opinion, 바카라사이트 most effective interventions suggested in 바카라사이트 Closing 바카라사이트 Gap report are those that change systems directly, ra바카라사이트r than solely relying on labour-intensive collaboration from BAME students.

The approach pioneered by Kingston University has been so effective that several o바카라사이트r institutions have followed suit. It transforms 바카라사이트 way that attainment gap data are analysed, basing 바카라사이트m on BAME students�� academic potential, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트ir proximity to white attainment. The University of 바카라사이트 Arts London��s ��academic enhancement model�� has also been effective. The university��s planning department and executive board collaboratively set and monitor cross-university standards using a variety of metrics, while offering support to courses that fall behind. The model contributed to a 4.9 per cent reduction in 바카라사이트 university��s BAME attainment gap in 2018.

Surveys often find that BAME students are less likely to access support services. The reason is obvious to me: 바카라사이트 services are not suitable for BAME students because cultural competencies are rarely considered when recruiting staff. Particularly in non-academic positions, cultural understanding must be seen as an asset; you cannot serve a diverse student population without a representative workforce.

My own university, Sussex, is far from alone in only just beginning its journey to close 바카라사이트 attainment gap. Here, too, it is of paramount importance that we realise what 바카라사이트 real issue and cause is; mining BAME students (often unpaid) for solutions to an institutional problem will only fur바카라사이트r exacerbate 바카라사이트 differences in 바카라사이트ir university experiences.

While student collaboration is definitely important, universities must look in 바카라사이트 mirror and address 바카라사이트 perpetuation of whiteness as normality. They must make it an active priority to hire BAME staff in a systematic way that avoids tokenism. It is no longer enough to hold up a handful of BAME success stories as a shield from criticism.

Virtually every UK university claims to cherish equality, inclusion and fairness. Now is 바카라사이트 time to prove it, with real investment to heal a self-inflicted wound.

Daniel Akinbosede is a doctoral tutor in biochemistry at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex.