the challenges facing black british academics in the uk © copyright deborah gabriel june 2012

The Challenges Facing Black British Academics in the UK

© Copyright Deborah Gabriel June 2012

Ethnic Minority Academics in UK HEIs 2010/11

Figure 1HESA 2012

Black Caribbean Black African IndianChineseBangladeshiPakistani


African Caribbean Academics in the Academy 2010/11

2390 African Caribbean academics out of 181,185

Black African 1620 Black Caribbean 770

70 African Caribbean professors out of 17,465

Black African 50 Black Caribbean 20

HESA (2012)


What’s Wrong With Under-Representation?

Academic Imperialism – the construction of knowledge from a Eurocentric Perspective:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMUF8leJ_mM (Seyedd Mohammad Marandi) HE should better reflect the

demographic composition of UK.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMUF8leJ_mM



Why only 70 Black Professors?

Accumulative impact of contributory factors:

1. Attainment at secondary level2. Experience and progression of HE

students3. Access to taught postgraduate

programmes4. Access to research degrees 5. Power relations within academia6. Failure of EOP and legislation


Entry Routes Into Academia

Doctoral degree Visiting lecturer From industry with relevant experience. Studentships scarce – requires MA/MSC. Russell & 1994 Group graduates more

likely to progress to research degrees. Low attainment/concentration in Post92

HEIs means black groups, esp. Black Caribbeans, lower chance of access/entry. (Kyriacou&Wakeling 2009)


Ethnic Minority Students on PG Programmes

Figure 2 HESA 2012

Black CaribbeanBlack AfricanIndianChineseBangladeshiPakistani


African Caribbean Attainment in HE

Undergraduate Black Groups - Highest HEIPR/Low Attain. But Black Caribbean low participation. Black Caribbeans, Black Africans (and

Bangladeshi) least likely to get a 1st.

Black Caribbeans, Black Africans least likely to get a 2:1.

Black Africans most likely to get a 3rd.

Age and entry qualifications a factor in attain.

Connor et al (2004)© Copyright Deborah Gabriel June 2012

African Caribbean Participation in HE

Postgraduate Black Africans highest percentage of

PG students on all PG programmes. Black African males have double the

number of research students than females.

Black Caribbean females have double the number of students than males across HE.

Black Caribbean males unable to catch up from secondary level. (HESA 2012)


Financial issues

HEFCE no longer funds taught PG programmes & no govt. support; only 2 banks offer PCDLs.

Higher UG fees & increased PG fees means students from lowest socio-economic & WP groups may be deterred from PG study.

Black groups less likely to get research studentships (example: Fasil Demsash)

1994 Group (2012)© Copyright Deborah Gabriel June 2012

Fasil Demsash


Fled Ethiopia in 2001 after being attacked and tortured by police due to involvement with student democratic movement.

Later settled in Canada, completing a Bachelor’s degree and writing a research paper on the challenges facing immigrant teachers in Canada.

Prepared a PhD research proposal on use of immigrant maths experts to plug gaps in STEM teachers in UK. Offered self-funded places at three universities – joined York in 2007.

Worked to self-support – lost job and wife – considering giving up after long struggle.

African Caribbean Student Progression-Summary

Black Caribbeans low participation rate in HE, males especially.

Black Africans have lowest degree attainment at undergraduate level but highest participation on PG programmes.

High concentration in Post92 HEIs limits access to PhDs – a key path into academia.

Lower attainment limits progression to PhD.

Wakeling (2009) Kyriacou & Wakeling (2009)



Approach ‘Black Underachievement’ With Caution

‘Achievement gap’ not due to lesser ability but due to inequalities endemic to education system perpetuated through policies and unfair assessment strategies. (Gillborn 2008)

Confidence rather than ability is the major determinant of success. A law professor who only gained a 2:2 said more able graduates lack confidence. (Heward et al 1997)

Black Africans are better represented in HE/academia than Black Caribbeans as they possess greater confidence and are less frequently labelled as under-achievers.

Ethnic Minority Staff in the Academy

More likely to have a degree than white staff.

Less likely to be involved in research work.

Less likely to work full-time. Less likely to be on perm/open ended

contract. More likely to receive less pay than

white staff. Less likely to change roles since

joining. Carter et al (1999) based on 1996/7


Ethnic Minority Staff in the Academy

Under-represented at senior levels. Difficulties getting promoted. Status and authority constantly

challenged. Work overly scrutinised and

monitored. Exclusion from RAE exercise (37% of

black staff 58-60% for other groups). More black staff work in non-

submitting dept.Equality Challenge Unit (2009)


Power Relations Within the Academy

“Social closure” white academics exclude or limit entry to reduce competition and preserve dominance .(Carter et al 2000)

Their study on 1996/7 staff -some closure but not total “unexplained” inequalities.

Heward et al (1997)Subject communities cause EM under-rep ;‘gatekeepers’ act as mentors & patrons and ‘invite’ applications, judge others, control progression, wield academic power.


Failure of EOP/Legislation

Race Relations Amendment Act (2000) only partially effective – not being implemented.

EOP replaced by ‘diversity’ agenda which lacks teeth, voluntary not embedded in legislation.

Emphasis on individual not group difference.

Failure to acknowledge racism esp. at structural and systemised levels.

Jones (2009)© Copyright Deborah Gabriel June 2012

How Can We Move Forward?



A Nationwide Movement of African Caribbean Academics

Knowledge, skills, expertise, experience and networks can be pooled.

Senior AC academic staff can mentor, coach and develop aspiring & junior academics and utilise their connections & networks.

Identify shared interests, form research grps.

Collaborate on projects. Act as support network. Include independent researchers & non-

academic staff who want to join.

Further Recommendations for Proposed Movement

A social justice agenda driven by a desire for social change, not a network of elites.

Promotion of critical scholarship. Regular workshops to share/develop skills. Regular colloquiums & conferences. Commitment to public engagement. Commitment to help raise attainment of

AC pupils and students. Collaboration with other

groups/movements within and outside academia.



Why African Caribbean and not BME?

One size fits all approach doesn’t work.

Inequalities in attainment/academic progression not uniform across HE but unique and distinct to each ethnic group.

Solution to inequalities requires differential approaches, targeted at specific needs that are culturally appropriate.


References

Carter, J., Fenton, S., & Modood, T. (1999). Ethnicity and employment in higher education (8)65 Policy Studies Institute.

Connor, H., Tyers, C., Modood, T., & Hillage, J. (2004). Why the difference? A closer look at higher education minority ethnic students and graduates: Department for Education and Skills.

Equality Challenge Unit. (2009). The experience of black and minority ethnic staff working in higher education.

Gillborn,D.(2008) Racism and Education:Coiincidence or Conspiracy. Taylor & Francis.


References

HESAa. (2012). Table G Ethnic Minority Staff By Ethnicity, Contract and Activity Group 2010/11.

HESAb. (2012). Data Enquiry 32697 Numbers of academic staff with an ethnicity of black by ethnicity and professorial marker. Unpublished.

HESAc. (2012). Table 13-UK Domiciled Students By Level of Study, Gender, Mode of Study, Year of Study and Ethnicity 2010/11. Retrieved from: http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1897&Itemid=239 Accessed 10 May 2012


References

Heward, C., Taylor, P., & Vickers, R. (1997). Gender, Race and Career Success in the Academic Profession. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 21(2), 205-218

Jones, C. (2006). Falling between the cracks: what diversity means for black women in higher education. Policy futures in education, 4(2), 145-159.

1994 Group. (2012). The Postgraduate Crisis. Retrieved from http://www.1994group.ac.uk/documents/120215_PostgraduateCrisis.pdf Accessed 10 May 2012


References

Wakeling, P. (2009). Are ethnic minorities underrepresented in UK postgraduate study? Higher Education Quarterly, 63(1), 86-111.

Wakeling, P., & Kyriakou, C. (2010). Widening participation from undergraduate to postgraduate research degrees: a research synthesis. Retrieved from http://www.esrc.ac.uk/_images/widening-participation-final-report_tcm8-6381.pdf Accessed 10 May 2012

the challenges facing black british academics in the uk © copyright deborah gabriel june 2012

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