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

Improving the degree attainment of Black and minority ethnic students: investigating practice

The aim is to raise awareness of issues relating to the degree attainment gap of Black and minority ethnic students and to seek to address the recommendations put forward in the report on the Ethnicity, Gender and Degree Attainment Report (2008).

 London Metropolitan University has approximately 34,000 students, around 44% of students are white and nearly 8,000 are international students.  Finding effective ways to engage and promote learning among our diverse student body is a key challenge.   Retention, progression and achievement is high on the University’s agenda.

The team is comprised of three colleagues from London Metropolitan University Business School (LMBS)  and a colleague from the University’s Centre for Academic Professional Development.  Our main driver is our interest and commitment to equality and diversity issues.  

A Diversity working group has been established to support and oversee the project.  The group comprises senior members of LMBS, including the Dean.

We will be holding an institutional level seminar a part of the Academy’s Research seminar Series 2009  in November 2009, which will raise awareness across the institution and set the context of the work being carried out in the University’s Business School.

An LMBS staff development event aimed at Certificate level module leaders and course leaders will be held in Autumn 2009.  This follows on from a Certificate level curriculum review which raised issues around equality and diversity.  The session will provide opportunities for colleagues to consider the performance of students across  a range of  ethnic groups and  participants will reflect on what/how to do differently as a result of attending.

In order to capture the student perspective and gauge their level of engagement with the institution, we will interview 12 BME students who are succeeding and have been involved in selected extra/co-curricular activities.  Evidence is emerging that student engagement and belonging are key for Retention, progression and attainment issues. 

Team members

Linda Johnson, Head of Learning and Teaching London Metropolitan University Business School (LMBS)l.johnson@londonmet.ac.uk

Helen Pokorny, L&T Co-ordinator Centre for Academic and Professional Development h.pokorny@londonmet.ac.uk

Andrew Halford, LMBS Diversity Co-ordinator (Academic) a.halford@londonmet.ac.uk

Fiona Colgan, Director of the Comparative Organisation and Equality Research Centre LMBS, f.colgan@londonmet.ac.uk