senss is a consortium of 10 leading uk universities

SeNSS is a consortium of 10 leading UK universities

promoting inventive and inclusive social science research,

and providing PGR funding.

SeNSS universities

New report on PG Widening Participation

available via SeNSS website

• compares UG profiles of each SeNSS HEI partner against their PGT/PGR profiles, and against national HESA data for social science disciplines.

• tracks progress of SeNSS applicants through our sift stages.

• provides SeNSS and UK PG HE community with new data and benchmarks to shape new WP strategies.

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

Progression of BAME Students in SeNSS Application Process

2017

2018

2019

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Progression of Female BAME Students in SeNSS Application Process

2017

2018

2019

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

Progression of BAME Students in SeNSSApplication Process, by School Type (2019)

UK BAME

non-UKBAME

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

Progression of UK Students in SeNSSApplication Process, by School Type (2019)

UK BAME

non-UKBAME

Independent

Non-Selective

Outside UK

Selective

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25

Non-SeNSS Institutions

SeNSS Institutions

Proportion BAME Students enrolled in Social Science PGR studies

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

Non-SeNSS Institutions

SeNSS Institutions

Proportion Female BAME Students enrolled in Social Science PGR studies

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18

UK PGR Funding for BAME and Females

UK Government (Female)

UK Government (BAME)

SeNSS PGR WP strategy

Encourage SeNSS universities to develop own PG WP strategies• align with UG WP, progression/attainment, Athena Swan, Race Equality Charter

Broaden SeNSS applicant pool• outreach to under-rep groups; 1+3 awards for students with no Masters; map

applicant postcodes against LPNs (at point of UG and PG application).

Enhance fairness of SeNSS selection processes• improve proportional participation relative to national HESA averages for SeNSS-

related PGR studies; require all SeNSS selectors to complete EDI training.

Enhance inclusivity of SeNSS community• ensure our activities, panels, comms are diverse and inclusive;

Promote better PG WP practice across HE and UKRI• work with DTPs, RCs and UKCGE on fair access to PG study; strengthen UKRI focus

on UK researcher pipelines, alongside UK research infrastructure.

UEA Doctoral College

Working Group on BAME PGR Experience

• PGRs/staff with first-hand experiences

• analysing local and national statistical data

• internal report due June 2020

Essex PGRE team

• Plans for scoping work on PGR WP

• Consulting with Salema Foot (PGR Sociology)

– MA thesis: international PG student perspectives on studying at the University of Essex

– PhD project: improving and enhancing the lived academic experiences of BAME students in the UK

Contacts

Pamela Cox

pamcox@essex.ac.uk or @ProfPamelaCox

Salema Foot

sf18649@essex.ac.uk or via LinkedIn

Gina Yannitell Reinhardt

gina.reinhardt@essex.ac.uk or @gyannirein

Resources

• Yannitell Reinhardt, Gina (2019) Widening Participation in the South East Network of Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (SeNSS DTP). Unpublished report by ARISE, commissioned by SeNSS.

• Foot, Salema (2019) What are Postgraduate International Student Perspectives about studying at the University of Essex? A Critical University Studies dissertation. Unpublished MA dissertation, submitted to the University of Essex, Department of Sociology.

• https://leadingroutes.org/launch-the-broken-pipeline-report• https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/sep/12/look-at-how-white-the-

academy-is-why-bame-students-arent-doing-phds• http://www.ukcge.ac.uk/article/diversity-pgrh-population-response-422.aspx• https://wonkhe.com/blogs/black-students-arent-getting-funded-phds-whos-

responsible-for-fixing-that/• https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/jan/08/universities-must-listen-

more-closely-to-their-bame-staff-and-students