1. Practical Recipes for Student Success – closing the student attainment gap at the University of Derby Jean Mutton, Student Experience Project Manager, j.mutton@derby.ac.uk @myderbi @derbyunisap j.mutton@derby.ac.uk SRHE 20 March 2015

2. Overview BME attainment gap - background The Derby approach: PReSS Data and Impact What next? Q/A

3. Background Derby is a modern (post 1992) university with a diverse student body of 23,000 + 1 in 5 define themselves as ‘Black Minority Ethnic’ (inc International, EU and Home students) Widening Participation agenda across HE: the proportion of BME students in 2012/13 was 19.6%, up by 4.7% since 2003/04* The ‘good honours’ (1 st or 2i) attainment gap of UK- domiciled BME students in 2012/13 was 16.1%* * (Ref: ECU: Equality in HE: statistical report 2014)

4. Derby’s response We looked across the sector, internationally, nationally and at Derby for best practice and research into what works Joined the Higher Education Race Action Group (HERAG) Contacted staff in other universities researching into BME attainment through networks such as ‘RAISE‘ Disparity in Student Attainment Project (DISA)

5. The solution! Or not…. 1.No Magic Bullet 2.Post-racial, inclusive approach required 3.A suite of different strategies required

7. The Derby Approach PReSS! But also… …Preparing to Start University (VO) …Students as partners …Students as mentors …Transition Pedagogies …Data and more!

8. PReSS Easy for staff to access and use Packs are downloadable as word documents for easy customisation Blog format allows users to post feedback and suggestions

9. Methodology for standard reporting Good honours analysis published across the institution is based on the HESA return Consistent population year- on year Easily comparable with other institutions No ethnicity against overseas students

10. Methodology for SAP reporting Good honours data is taken from internal data Allows attribution of ethnicity code to overseas students Allows deeper analysis of trends in UoD data Potentially incomparable with other institutions

11. Results ‘Good Hons’ (HESA) 2011/122012/132013/142014/152015/162016/17 BME 35% 45%52% ?% OTHER 61% 65% 66%?% Attainment Gap 26%20%14%?% 0%

12. Challenges: dissemination More than action research How else can we assess impact? What Next? Is the project ‘out of control’? Need more suggestions for packs Feedback on usefulness of existing packs

13. Questions?

14. References ECU Equality in higher education: statistical report 2014 Part 2: Students QAA (2007) Subject benchmark statement Education Studies (2 nd edition) http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/Educati on07.pdf [accessed 6th May 2013] http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/Educati on07.pdf QAA (2013) UK quality code for higher education chapter B4: enabling student development and achievement. http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/Quality- Code-Chapter-B4.pdf [accessed 6th May 2013] http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/Quality- Code-Chapter-B4.pdf DiSA project http://www.wlv.ac.uk/about-us/internal-departments/centre-for- academic-practice/wolverhampton-learning-and-teaching-projects/disparities-in- student-attainment-disa/ [accessed 10 November 2014]http://www.wlv.ac.uk/about-us/internal-departments/centre-for- academic-practice/wolverhampton-learning-and-teaching-projects/disparities-in- student-attainment-disa/ Spencer, S. (2012) Super diversity and the city http://citiesofmigration.ca/ezine_stories/sarah-spencer-super-diversity-and-the- city/ [accessed 6 th May 2013] http://citiesofmigration.ca/ezine_stories/sarah-spencer-super-diversity-and-the- city/ PReSS https://uodpress.wordpress.comhttps://uodpress.wordpress.com