How the ‘Understanding recruitment decisions of students from Black backgrounds’ report will help you:
- Inform the strategy and work involved in communicating and engaging with prospective undergraduate and postgraduate students from Black backgrounds effectively
- Identify opportunities for new programmes or initiatives that could better support students from Black backgrounds’ decision-making journeys
- Provide evidence to support your university’s activities with students from Black backgrounds for widening access and progression plans
- Provide an evidence base to secure the necessary funding for new work/initiatives, and engage stakeholders in a joined-up approach
More about the ‘Understanding the recruitment decisions of students from Black backgrounds‘ project
On the OfS Equality of Opportunity Risk Register (EORR) students from Black backgrounds feature as higher risk in many key areas. These risks also continue into postgraduate study, with the barriers to Black students progressing to PG study referenced throughout NEON’s Postgraduate Strategy diversity blueprint.
In our unique qualitative insight project, conducted in partnership with 9 universities from across the UK, we uncovered the detail behind the data, exploring the life stories of students from Black backgrounds and how universities could better support their decision-making and recruitment journeys.
The full visual research report includes an executive summary and practical recommendations.
Report contents include:
- What the decision-making process for student applications at both UG and PGT levels is and how this differs from applicants from other backgrounds
- The key drivers of decision-making and what influences decisions
- What the barriers to considering study at university are; what support could be provided which would be helpful and at what points in time
- The support students have received/been aware of but not engaged with
- What specific hopes, fears and aspirations are underpinning prospective students from Black backgrounds’ information needs
- What types of messaging resonate effectively with students from Black backgrounds
Project partners
This project was developed in partnership with 9 universities who helped to shape the research design through our collaborative University Futures model. With thanks to:
- Loughborough University
- Newcastle University
- University of Bristol
- University of Edinburgh
- University College London (UCL)
- University of Leeds
- University of Manchester
- University of Sheffield
- University of Southampton