1. christine.switzer@strath.ac.uk ( @frankensoils)
Access and transitions in higher education by underrepresented students
Christine Switzer, Kelsey Brown, Lisa Lyons, Douglas Bertram, Michael Kenny, Neil Ferguson
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Strathclyde
( @frankensoils)

2. Department Profile
100 staff (43% female) incl. 29 academic staff (38% female)
UGT, PGT, & PGR degrees
Largest CEE recruiter in west of Scotland (1st or 2nd in Scotland)
UG Population
ca. 400 students
21% female
SIMD20/40
PGT Population
ca. 80 students
40-50% female
??? SIMD20/40
PGR population
85 students
45-50% female
???? SIMD20/40

3. Undergraduate Profile: Women
UK average
gender parity
UK average

4. Students from 20% and 40% most deprived areas of Scotland
Undergraduate Profile: SIMD20/40
Students from 20% and 40% most deprived areas of Scotland
equality of access

5. EnTICE (Enhancing Transitions in Civil Engineering)

6. Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction
Undergraduate Profile
Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction

7. Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction
Undergraduate Profile
Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction
MEng Completion in
BEng Completion in
Academic Failure: Mathematics most likely
Evaluation by gender, SIMD status…

8. Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction
Undergraduate Profile
Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction
Cohort vs Women
Cohort vs SIMD20/40

9. Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction
Undergraduate Profile
Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction
Year 4 and Year 5 (Women)
Year 4 and Year 5 (SIMD20/40)

10. Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction
Undergraduate Profile
Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction
MEng
Women outperformed men
4th year (BEng exit point)
Women consistent with men
Academic progression
Men more at risk than women

11. Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction
Undergraduate Profile
Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction
MEng
No apparent difference
4th year (BEng exit point)
Numbers too small
Academic progression
Numbers too small

12. Recruitment: Calculating a Grade Point Average
GPA: Numerical summary of academic performance on exams
Advantages
Quantitative
Lacks bias
Disadvantages
Limited set of results for computation
Based only on exam results
Based only on results in 5th and 6th year
Lacks nuance
Methodology
Higher: A = 4 points, B = 3 points, C = 2 points, etc
Advanced Higher: A = 5 points, B = 4 points, C = 3 points, etc
Multiple attempts at same Higher (average of 1st and 2nd attempts)
All other entry routes and qualifications ignored for now

13. Does GPA predict degree outcome?
GPA: Numerical summary of academic performance on exams

14. Student Support What we did recently: Curriculum revisions
Tutorial support
Entry criteria changes
Maths support for some Y1 students
Some Tailored Mentoring
What we do already:
Uni: Maths Skills Centre
Peer Mentoring
Industry Mentoring
Year Advisors
Mid-year feedback
Liaise with class reps
Personal Development Advisor (underutilised)
What else?
Maths support for Y2 DE
More Tailored Mentoring?
PDA support?
Personal feedback to all students at the middle and end of the year?

15. Conclusions / What Next
We learned a lot from our data…
Focus groups supplemented the more analytical aspects
Support mechanisms identified and implemented
Students in our underrepresented groups are doing well, but…
Refinement of GPA formula / Is it too coarse?
Deeper dive into subject-specific issues (e.g. mathematics)
Examine impacts of recent changes?
Further support needed, particularly Y2 entry?