Postgraduate diversity "not good enough", figures show

This study is to be welcomed. I came to the same conclusion myself after reviewing similar data for a paper I presented at a conference last July called The Challenges Facing Black British Academics in the UK. The question to be asked now is what strategies will be adopted and what policies will be introduced to change the status quo? I am in full agreement with Dr Wakeling that more research students should be recruited from Post 1992 universities, where clearly graduates from Russell Group universities are preferred. Black British Academics is a new network for African Caribbean academics in Britain launched on April 4 and members range from masters students to senior academics with special provision for undergraduates. We at least hope that through a process of mentoring, we can encourage and offer the necessary support and guidance to help more African Caribbeans who aspire to academic careers into the academy. However, the sector needs to do much more to address the disparity identified in the study.

It's hardly surprising that recruitment into research degrees is low from post-1992 Universities for several reasons. Firstly, it's a question of disciplines. Most PhDs are in the physical and biological sciences, maths, engineering and medicine as Table 5.1 of the report shows. Since these subjects are less likely to studied at post-1992s, it's hardly surprising that their students don't go on to be research postgraduates. Secondly, students from higher ranked Universities are, on average, more academically successful than those from post-1992s. So, again, it's unsurprising that they are more likely to be recruited. If you want more Black students taking PhDs, the logical first step would be to target having more Black students take science and engineering subjects at highly ranked Universities.

I assume that the question of finance is addressed somewhere in the report. In many subjects it is now the norm for students to fund themselves through further study. Often graduates who would be highly-suited to research and would love to undertake it are, quite sensibly, unwilling to burden themselves with further loans for the doubtful hope of an academic career. Graduates who come from less wealthy backgrounds are more likely to work out the risk involved and they can observe how many lecturers with Ph.D.s are currently working on casual contracts for very low pay. I was able to study for a Ph.D. many years ago only because I was funded by a studentship; without that funding I would have had to choose a different path - but I was fortunate that state studentships were more widely available when I studied. These days higher degrees are becoming the preserve of the rich and a few who are prepared to take a huge gamble on their future. This does not augur well for the academy nor for the breadth of future research and understanding.