We’re hosting a conference for students which will focus on the ethnicity awarding gap. We’d love for all students to join the discussion.
No matter your ethnicity, course or level of study, it’s vital that we come together to raise awareness of this injustice and consider how best to fix this problem.
What is the ethnicity awarding gap?
The ethnicity degree awarding gap means that white university students are more likely to be awarded top grades (first or 2:1) in their degrees than Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) students. The phrase ‘awarding gap’ is used in place of ‘attainment gap’ to acknowledge the fact that “grade disparities are the result of institutional action or inaction, rather than being caused by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students as individuals” (Universities UK, 2022).
Put simply, if you’re not white, you’re less likely to receive top grades - and it isn’t your fault.
The conference
The University has already started work on this and has introduced several new iniatives. However, the problem is complex and deep-rooted.
We’re hosting a students-only conference to draw attention to this problem and to consider ideas about how the University should work to fix it. The insights, feedback and suggestions gathered during the conference will be used in our work to convince University leaders to take more action*.
The session will feature a keynote speech from a higher education policy expert, and facilitated discussions on a range of relevant topics. More details will be released soon.
Why should you attend?
The ethnicity awarding gap is an important issue across universities in the UK, and in a diverse university like ours, the need to address it is even more urgent. Tackling the gap will require culture change across the University (and sector at large), and that begins with students becoming aware of, and angry about, the situation.
You don't need to be an expert to attend, as this session will be informative and beginner-friendly. All we want is to bring together passionate students who care about justice and equity for all. Join us to learn more, share your opinions, and help us with our ongoing work to close the ethnicity awarding gap.
The conference is free to attend, but you must register in advance.
*This will be a student-only 'safe space' in which you are invited to share as much of your personal experience as you like. While we'll be documenting the findings of our discussions, all outputs will be anonymised.