Top universities failing to take black students

New initiative to tackle under-representation in Russell Group institutions

Imperial College London is the latest Russell Group to tackle black student representation. (Picture: Getty Images)

BLACK STUDENTS are less likely to secure places at some of UK’s top university’s in comparison to their white counterparts, according to research.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) reported that Russell Group universities have on average much smaller proportions of black students than other universities – less than 4% compared with the UK average of 8%.

They have been heavily criticised as they remain the most unattainable for black learners with students bodies calling on higher education establishments to address the issue.

Report by UCAS revealed that black students were on average still 13% less likely to be offered a place at one the top university’s compared to white students in the year 2019.

Despite on overall increase in the number of black and minority student across the majority of Russell Group universities last year – Cambridge reporting an increase of 25% and Oxford’s intake by 23% – white students were still found to disproportionately benefit from the proportion of black students who did see through admissions.

Research has shown that some of the blame lies in systemic inequalities found in the admissions process and poor marketing techniques to students from diverse backgrounds.

However, disparities still remain even once enrolled as black graduates are less likely to achieve a first-class degree than their white peers.

The Imperial College London has since joined the likes of Cambridge University in their collaboration with grime artist Stormzy which saw record numbers of black students enrolled into the Russell Group university through his scholarship initiative, by announcing funding for a generation of aspiring black students.

The Presidential Scholarships for Black Students is the first step in the College’s £10 million commitment to tackle the underrepresentation of black students over the next five years.

Professor Maggie Dallman, Vice President International, said: “The new Presidential Scholarships for black students are the start of a journey for the College on increasing the number of black students, whom it has identified as underrepresented at all levels.

“The College has committed to doubling the number of black home undergraduate students by 2025 and to encouraging more black students into postgraduate study. We want to attract the very best applicants from all backgrounds, and ensure they go as far as their talents can take them.   

“We know that students from some backgrounds are less likely to take up places here, and we want to fix that. Understanding what barriers exist, and how we can dismantle them, is essential.”   

The new funding will support one Master’s scholarship and one undergraduate scholarship for Home students per academic Faculty each year for the next five years.

The Master’s scholarships will be particularly focused on programmes that lead to advancing towards PhD study.

The college have also confirmed two more initiatives to help combat the disproportionate rates among the black applicants and the ongoing student population to support current students better connect with their work and encouraging those from African and Caribbean backgrounds from secondary school and sixth form to explore STEM subjects.

Andrew Tebbutt, Director of Outreach at Imperial, said: “These new initiatives underline the College’s commitment to reach out to Black-heritage students, who are particularly underrepresented at Imperial when accounting for its London location.  

“We hope that STEM Futures and the Seed Fund will allow more Black students to experience what life at Imperial is about and will encourage them to consider applying to the College.” 

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