This project will re-evaluate admissions practices, developing and testing new models of selection to better identify academic potential in graduate research applicants.
Resources required:
- Funding/partners to collaborate on bids and programme.
Available evidence of impact:
- Innovative practices emerging from programmes.
- Reduction in inequality within the PGR lifecycle for BAME PGR’s.
- Increase in embedding EDI across the sector within PGR programmes for BAME students.
- The aim is to halve the current ‘offer gap’ in pilot sites by the end of 2025, with an aspiration to eliminate the gap altogether within one school generation (by 2035).
Links to available resources:
- Oxford and Cambridge win joint award to improve access to postgraduate research
- Blueprint for All to partner with Cambridge University in pioneering project | Blueprint for all
Implementation and potential challenges:
- Look at successful bids where programmes fit with social sciences to consider future bids internal or external opportunities.
- Access to funding streams – where to locate internal and externally to institutions.
- Potential collaborations – institutions or local organisations that would offer value and shared communities of practice.
- Culture change.
How to Use:
- Generate new admissions practices that are equitable and reflective of wider society.
- Build research training programme through anti-racist lens.
- Increase admissions through name-blinding, unconscious bias prevention and extensive policy reviewing.
- Create fully funded positions at PhD level.
- Build in further opportunities such as summer school, reverse mentoring, placements, teaching qualifications and career advice.
- Create coaching/mentoring workshops for PG researchers from racialised groups.
