The HE sector through its representative bodies Universities UK and GuildHE recognise the importance of addressing differential degree attainment as it affects Black and minority ethnic (BME) students and many institutions are undertaking work to identify the scale and nature of the challenge.
The specific aims of this programme were to support institutional teams to:
- develop a deeper understanding of the implications of student diversity for degree attainment;
- review current institutional strategies policies and practices that seek to address student success;
- reflect on the relevance and implications of the equality legislation for the further development of these strategies policies and practices;
- share practice designed to address differential degree attainment from across the sector;
- focus on and progress institutional work to address an issue(s) relating to the success of BME students;
- integrate evaluation of effectiveness into work to effect change in this area
- engage others in the institution in the process of change
- reflect on progress and outcomes and plan for future activity.
This summit programme which was co-sponsored by Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) and Equality Forward Scotland sought to support institutions that have already identified such an attainment gap and who wished to further develop progress and evaluate work to address the recommendations contained in the final report of the ‘Ethnicity Gender and Degree Attainment Project’ published in January 2008.
