Coventry University - Improving the degree attainment of Black and minority ethnic students

The team have identified three strands of activities to focus on in the short to medium term:

• Continued research into the lived experience of BME students at Coventry
• Action based mini-projects to evaluate interventions
• Develop staff training programme to raise awareness

Coventry University is committed to a University wide focus on the degree attainment of BME students through action and a shared ownership of the issue. A key driver of this objective is to be achieved through the mini-project scheme that we have developed in conjunction with the Coventry and Warwickshire Lifelong Learning Network. The team are supporting four mini-projects this year each worth £10K that involve three faculties and the University library. The projects all involve some element of intervention, evaluation and dissemination. We also have a PhD student linked to the projects and are developing a model of cascade training to empower all staff to make a difference.
As an institution we have acknowledged that we need to make a recognised and valued contribution to the increased aspirations, awareness, attainment and progression of BME students. We also realise that we need to move away from a model that has a tendency to view the student as the core problem.

In order to be confident of sustained participation in projects and schemes we need to ensure work is effective, co-ordinated, well managed, widely recognised and understood. Success is reliant on the support of major stakeholders such as programme/course/department managers and support staff.

Team members

Christine Broughan, iPED Researcher, c.broughan@coventry.ac.uk 

Sarah Lewis, Equality and Diversity Manager, s.lewis@coventry.ac.uk 

Gurnam Singh, National Teaching Fellow, g.singh@coventry.ac.uk 

Irene Glendinning, Academic Manager for Student Experience, i.glendinning@coventry.ac.uk 

Tracy Cullis, Director of Student Services, t.cullis@coventry.ac.uk