Investigating the Relationship Between Ethnicity and Degree Attainment

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Investigating the Relationship Between Ethnicity
and Degree Attainment
Jaki Lilly, Mark Warnes, Berenice Rivera
Macías INSPIRE
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• Introduction
• HEA/ECU 2008 Report Ethnicity, Gender and
  Degree Attainment
• Whilst the report does not locate clear causes
  for difference in degree attainment that can be
  directly linked to ethnicity and gender, it
  describes concerns from higher education
  institutions (HEIs) staff and students that
  ethnic minority groups are marginalised. The
  report recommends that HEIs develop their own
  research projects in this area as well as taking
  steps to address any issues of marginalisation.
• Our student population
• 20.2 non-white
• 69.0 Female (future work how gender interacts
  with ethnicity)

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• Aims of this Workshop
• To share our work-in-progress
• To get feedback on our Model

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• Existing Model
• HESA Classification of Ethnicity
• Based on UK Census 2001
• Degree Attainment
• Used as sole measure of student achievement

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Ethnicity Our Student Population
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• Activity 1
• In groups, please look at the handout
• What does this data mean?
• What further information do we need (and how can
  we get it)?
• What actions should we take?

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• Existing Model Our Criticisms
• HESA Classification of Ethnicity
• Census classifications not fit for purpose in HE
  sector
• Anglo-centric and based on skin colour
• Conflates disparate groups
• Student Achievement
• Only concentrates on one outcome rather than the
  full range of student outcomes

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• Ethnicity
• Broad Ethnicities (Modood et al, 1997)
• Do not fully inform us about the ethnic identity
  of our students
• Self-description, religion, language, visits to
  country of origin, marriage, and choice of
  schools, clothes and identification with
  Britishness are just some of the components of
  ethnic identity

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• Ethnicity (cont.)
• Anglia Ruskin Student profile
• 23,970 Students
• 5 Faculties
• 2 UK Campuses
• 11 Regional Partners
• International partner colleges in Europe,
  Trinidad Malaysia

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• Our Model
• New Classifications of Ethnicity
• Ethnicity cross-tabulated with Nationality
• Ethnicity with other dimensions
• Student Achievement
• Full range of student outcomes

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• Ethnicity and Nationality
• Preliminary investigation revealed level of
  complexity
• Other White Background 78 Nationalities no
  common experience
• Black or Black British African (etc.) no common
  experience
• Case Study The Philippines

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• Ethnicity and Other Dimensions
• We have cross-tabulated broad ethnicities with
  other dimensions
• Domicile
• Campus
• Refining the picture
• UK-based UK Nationals by Faculty
• Numbers of students concerned become very small

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• 2011 Census Classification of Ethnicity
• Office for National Statistics (2008) propose a
  suite of questions (EILR)
• Ethnicity
• (National) Identity
• Language
• Religion
• Moving in the right lines but still not convinced
  that this is fit-for-purpose in the HE context

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• Reason for Leaving Institution / Completing
  Programme
• Successful completion of course
• Academic failure / left in bad standing / not
  permitted to progress

• Transferred to another institution
• Health reasons
• Death
• Financial reasons
• Other personal reasons and dropped out

• Written off after lapse of time
• Exclusion
• Gone into employment
• Other (under review)

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• Phase 2 Qualitative Research
• Not everything that can be counted counts, and
  not everything that counts can be counted
  (Einstein)
• Focus Groups
• Interviews
• Case Studies

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• Activity 2
• Brainstorming Exercise
• Using the flip chart paper
• Suggest ways in which we can qualitatively
  explore ethnicity and degree attainment

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Any questions?
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Thank you!
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References Higher Education Academy / Equality
Challenge Unit, (2008), Ethnicity, Gender and
Degree Attainment Project Final Report,
available at http//www.heacademy.ac.uk/
assets/York/documents/ourwork/research/Ethnicity_G
ender_Degree_Attainment_Jan08.pdf accessed June
09, 2008 Modood T, Berthoud R, Berthoud R,
Lakey J, Nazroo J, Smith P, Virdee S, Beishon
S, (1997), Ethnic Minorities in Britain
Diversity and Disadvantage, London Policy
Studies Institute Office for National
Statistics, (2008), Recommended questions for the
2009 Census Rehearsal and 2011 Census Ethnic
Group, London Office for National Statistics