Coventry University to take part in joint study into BME students’ achievements 

A new £190,000 study commissioned by the Higher Education Academy (HEA) will see two Midlands universities working together to carry out research into the attainment levels of black and minority ethnic (BME) students.

Coventry University and the University of Wolverhampton, who successfully bid for the funding through the HEA’s National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS), will begin the joint study in August.

The project aims to address the recommendations of a recent report produced by the HEA and the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU). One of the key recommendations calls for institutional research to inform curriculum design, with a view to trialling changes to teaching and learning methods in subjects where BME students’ attainment is low.

A recent study by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) revealed that while 62% of white students starting full-time degree courses in 2002/03 achieved first- or upper-second-class honours, only 37% of black students and 42% of Pakistani and Bangladeshi students achieved a similarly high classification.

In response to the growing awareness and recognition of the underachievement of ethnic minority students within the higher education sector, Coventry University recently hosted the pioneering BME conference, during which 15 British universities explored ways to reduce the achievement gap between white and ethnic minority students.

Gurnam Singh, Principal Lecturer in Social Work at Coventry University, said: “Following the success of last month’s BME conference, we’re looking forward to working with the University of Wolverhampton on this study for which our partnership has been awarded £190,000. The BME attainment gap is a crucial topic in higher education today, and with this project Coventry University will remains at the forefront of research into the issue.”

Professor Glynis Cousin, Director of the Institute for Learning Enhancement at the University of Wolverhampton, was instrumental in securing the funding for the partnership. She said: “We are delighted to have received funding to carry out research in this important area. It is anticipated that discovering ways of closing the attainment gap will enable all students to reach their highest potential.”