1. How do schools, colleges and universities equip ethnic minorities to succeed in the local and global workforce?
Femi Bola MBE
Trustee BTEG
Director of Employability, University of East London
7th December 2016

2. This Session Context Higher Education What can we do?
Questions/Comments

3. Myth – Education is free!

4. BAME Students and Higher Education (HE)
Percentage of BME students studying in higher education, at all levels, is statistically higher than that of White students
Students of all ethnicities except some Asian groups are more likely to study non- Science Engineering and Technology (SET) subjects than SET subjects
Highest proportions of BAME students seen in Medicine and Dentistry (32.0%) and Law (31.2%) (Equalities Challenge Unit, 2011)
BAME students more likely to be in post-1992 HEIs, predominantly in the Greater London area
More Black students at the University of East London than the ‘top’ 20 UK HEIs combined (Elevation Networks Trust, 2012)

5. Investment versus the attainment gap
Increase in First or 2:1s have over the last 8 years
However considerable gap between the proportion of white British students receiving these degree classifications compared to UK- domiciled students from minority ethnic groups
Attainment gap has remained nearly static over the last ten years. In 2012/13, 57.1% of  UK-domiciled  BAME students received a top degree, compared with 73.2% of White British students – a gap of 16.1%
The BAME degree attainment gap is narrower for those studying science, engineering and technology (SET) subjects than those studying non-SET subjects

6. Where is the gap?
The gap differs significantly when the minority ethnic category is broken down For example, in 2012/13:
64.4% of Indian students were awarded a top degree - attainment gap of 8.8%
63.9% of Chinese students - gap of 9.3%
54.2% of Pakistani students - gap of 19.0%
43.8% of Black Other students - a gap of 29.4%

7. What is the impact?
Many graduate-level jobs and post-graduate courses (and related bursaries) have 2:1 degree or above as a minimum entry requirement
BAME graduates are less likely to be able to benefit from these opportunities, which impacts on the job market and the academic pipeline

8. Making the right Choice
BAME graduates are much more likely than white students to say they would choose differently
36 per cent of Black African graduates say they would be likely or very likely to do something completely different, whereas only 19 per cent of white graduates would

9. All the same price!

10. London Universities 20 ranked by Times and Sunday Times
11 ranked 50 and below
8 ranked below 90
High BAME populations

11. Careers Registration Questions - 2015
Have you sought advice about your career plans so far? Total responses
Yes, from family, friends, colleagues
2032
41%
Yes, from my previous school / college careers advisors
1681
34% No
1094
22%

12. What can universities do?
Less research more action
Don’t try and fix the student
Be realistic
Decide what graduateness is?
Be aware of the job market
Encourage students to make different choices

13. What can schools and colleges do?
Be more ambitious for their students
Better prepare students for university
Have a better understanding of the university league tables
Where possible encourage students to look beyond London
Work more with BAME parents e.g. Duke of Edinburgh Award

14. What can parents do? Know the ambitions of the school you choose
Avoid being sold exotic subjects!
Don’t just except I’m going to uni
Understand the league tables and subject tables
Consider apprenticeships allied to the ‘professions’
It is their ambition not yours
Not always the ‘head banging’ subjects!

15. Let’s Get Return on Investment
Thank You Any Questions?