The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and the Royal Society have published a report looking into the outcomes of Black students in science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) higher education in the UK. The report analyses the data to compare the outcomes of those from ethnic minority backgrounds and those from white backgrounds over the past 10 years. The findings show that people from Black backgrounds have poorer degree outcomes and lower rates of academic career progression than other ethnic groups. You can access the report here.
Key Findings
Students
The report found that there is a gulf in the choices made by ethnic minority groups studying STEM courses; 43.5% of those studying for their first degree in Medicine and dentistry are from ethnic minority backgrounds, but only 6.7% of those studying Agriculture and related subjects are.
Initial data analysis showed the percentage of Black and other ethnic minority students entering undergraduate and postgraduate education has increased over the previous 10 years. This too is backed up with findings in the data that shows the number of ethnic minority undergraduates continuing into postgraduate does not drop off any more so than their white peers.
The data also shows there are huge disparities in degree outcomes for Black students; those from White backgrounds (35.7%) were twice as likely as Black students (17.9%) to graduate with a first class honours. Those from Black backgrounds were three times more likely to leave with a third (9.5%) than their White peers (3.2%).
However, Black students are leaving STEM education in higher numbers at every stage of the career path. For undergraduates, the non-completion rate is 2 percentage points (ppts) higher for Black students (4.7%) than their White (2.7%) or Asian (2.9%) peers. For postgraduates this was even higher at 2.5 ppts (6.3%, Black Students, 3.8% White Students, 4.4% Asian Students).
There is a higher percentage of those from ethnic minority backgrounds finishing STEM courses that are unemployed for six months after graduation than those from White backgrounds. For undergraduates this was 5.7% compared to 3.2% and for postgraduates was 5.6% compared to 2.4%.
Staff
There are also findings on staff from ethnic minority backgrounds too;
- The percentage of academic staff from ethnic minority backgrounds is higher for staff working in STEM than non-STEM subjects.
- Subject areas that STEM ethnic minority group academic staff work in vary; 33% of academic staff working in Engineering and technology are from ethnic minority groups vs 7.5% working in Veterinary science.
- The age group ’34 and under’ has the highest percentage of ethnic minority group STEM academic staff. The percentage decreases as age increases.
- STEM ethnic minority group academic staff are less represented in more senior contract levels. Black STEM academic staff (3.5%)are the least represented ethnic group working at professor level (compared to 11.9% of white STEM academic staff.
