Feeding the research and innovation pipeline: COVID-19 and closing the degree grade awarding gap for Black and other minoritised students
Led by Dr Kamna Patel from The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, UCL, with co-investigator Paulette Williams, Head of Student Success at UCL and with partner Leading Routes.
There has long been an undergraduate awarding gap for Black and other racially minoritised students, that is they are awarded lower marks overall in their final degree result than white students. This affects how they progress, and especially whether they are accepted into postgraduate study which requires a ‘good’ degree. However, in 2019-2021, due to changes put into place during the COVID-19 pandemic for how work was assessed and with no consequences of allowances made for work handed in late, the awarding gap narrowed considerably. This meant more Black and other racially minoritised students gained the highest marks. This project will ask graduates from these years whether this opened up new possibilities and allowed them to progress into postgraduate study or careers in innovation. Through the learning from this research, we hope that universities will have the evidence to permanently change how they operate in this area in the future. Further, we hope this work will benefit the Office for Students and allow them to widen their understanding around awarding gaps and improve their recommendations and requirements of universities.
Full Economic Costing (FEC) £82,295.82 (80% £65,836.67)