FACTSHEET Ethnic Minorities in STEM - update (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)

During the academic year 2009/101, 42% of all UK-domiciled students at UK universities were studying STEM2 related subjects. British students from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background accounted for 19% of all UK-domiciled students studying STEM related subjects. However, representation of the different ethnic minority groups in STEM varied considerably. Out of the total BAME student population taking STEM subjects, Black Africans and Indians had the largest representation 23% and 21% respectively, followed by Pakistani and Mixed ethnicity, both 12% and Other Asian 10%. Black Caribbean students were 7% of the population and Chinese and Other students 5%. At the other end of the scale, students from the Black Other and Bangladeshi ethnic minority groups had the least representation among BAME STEM students, 2% and 3% respectively. Figure 1 shows the ethnic minority breakdown amongst BAME students studying STEM.

BAME students at Russell Group HESA data shows that White students made up 80% of the total student population at Russell Group universities during 2009/10.

1 Data from Higher Educational Statistical Agency

(HESA) and data set is for the period 2009-2010 and corresponds to the period 1 August to 31 July for that academic year. 2 STEM includes the following subjects: Medicine

& dentistry; Subjects allied to medicine; Bio-logical sciences; Veterinary science; Agriculture & related subjects; Mathematical sciences; Physical sciences; Computer science; Engineer-ing & technology; Architecture, building & planning.

BAME students and students falling into the 'unknown ethnicity' category made up the other 20%. This is a decrease in numbers compared to 2007/083, when Russell Group universities constituted 23.5% of the total British BAME student population studying STEM at UK universities. Figure 1: Representation among Ethnic Minority Groups in STEM related subjects.

Within the Russell Group, the institution with the highest proportion of ethnic minorities studying STEM was King's College 12.8%, followed by The University of Manchester 10%, then University College, London and The University of Birmingham both 8.4%. The university with the lowest representation of ethnic minorities studying STEM was The Queen's University, Belfast, 0.7%. Oxbridge

3 HESA Student Records 2007/08

7 23

2

21 12

3

5

10

12 5

Black Caribbean

Black African

Black Other

Indian

Pakistani

Bangladeshi

Chinese

Other Asian

Mixed ethnicity

Other

%

Source: HESA Student Record 2009/10

accounted for 7.2% of all BAME STEM students. Examining the ethnic breakdown among BAME students at Russell Group universities, Indian students had the highest representation (4%), followed by students of 'mixed ethnicity' (3%). Chinese, Other Asian, Pakistani and Black African students had almost equal representation at just under 2% for each ethnic minority group. Students from the Black Caribbean, Black Other, Bangladeshi and 'Other' ethnic minority group had the lowest representation - all less than 1% (see figure 2). Figure 2: British Ethnic Minorities studying STEM at Russell Group out of total BAME STEM population at UK universities.

It is worth noting that Russell Group universities make a major contribution to the supply of STEM-qualified graduates in the UK. In 2005/06 almost 30% of STEM graduates qualified at Russell Group universities

which included 82% of graduates in medicine and dentistry.4

Where to find other BAME STEM students? Figure 3 shows the 10 universities with the highest proportion of BAME students studying STEM related subjects. These ten universities collectively accounted for almost a third (28%) of all BAME STEM students in the UK. Figure 3: UK Universities with the highest proportion of BAME Students studying STEM related subjects

Source: HESA Student Record 2009/10

Gender Focus White women accounted for 82% of the female cohort studying STEM related subjects at UK universities in 2009/10. BAME women made up the other 18%. Black African women and Indian women were by far, the most highly represented ethnic minorities forming 4.6% and 3.7% respectively, of the total BAME female STEM cohort (see figure 4).

4 Russell Group Briefing February 2009 -

http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/uploads/STEM-briefing.pdf

80.84 0.49

1.77

0.18

3.96

1.55

0.39

1.58

1.53

2.84

0.99 3.88

White Black Caribbean

Black African Black Other

Indian Pakistani

Bangladeshi Chinese

Other Asian Mixed ethnicity

Other Unknown Ethnicity

Source: HESA Student Record 2009/10

%

3.7

3.6

3.4

2.7

2.6

2.6

2.5

2.3

2.3

2.2

0 2 4

London South Bank University

King's College London

Kingston University

The University of Greenwich

University of Hertfordshire

Queen Mary & Westfield …

The University of East London

The University of Manchester

The City University

University College London

%

Figure 4: UK-domiciled female STEM

students by ethnic group

Source: HESA Student Record 2009/10

Comparing male and female participation in STEM, the data revealed that more women than men from the Black African ethnic minority group undertook STEM related subjects in 2009/10 (see figures 5 and 6). There was also a higher percentage of Black Caribbean women compared to Black Caribbean men in STEM related subjects. For all other ethnic minority groups men and women were represented equally, apart from the Indian and Pakistani ethnic minority groups where they were slightly more men than women undertaking STEM related subjects. Figure 5: Female BAME students in STEM related subjects

Figure 6: Male BAME students in STEM related subjects

Source: HESA Student Record 2009/10

According to a recent report by the UKRC 'Women and men in science, engineering and technology: the UK statistics guide 2010', there were some noticeable differences between the experiences of British White women and British BAME women:

In 2006/07, among UK domiciled students, similar proportions of White women and BAME women obtained undergraduate qualifications (34.8% and 35.8% respectively) and postgraduate qualifications (39.8% and 38.5% respectively) in STEM.

In 2008, BAME women were more likely to work in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) occupations than White women: 8.2% of all BAME working women compared to 5.1% of all White women in the UK workforce. Contrary to findings for women, BAME working men were less likely to work in SET than White working men (22.6% and 32.2% respectively).

In recent years the participation of BAME women in SET occupations has been increasing at a faster rate than the participation of White women. Between 2003 and 2008 the proportion of BAME women in all SET occupations increased by 3.7 percentage points, and by 5.0 percentage points among BAME women professionals and associate professionals.

82

1.5 4.6

0.3 3.7

1.9

0.5 0.8 1.8

2 1 White

Black Caribbean

Black African

Black Other

Indian

Pakistani

Bangladeshi

Chinese

Other Asian

Mixed ethnicity

Other

%

8

25

2 20 10 3

5

10

12 5

Black Caribbean Black African

Black Other Indian

Pakistani Bangladeshi

Chinese Other Asian

Mixed ethnicity Other

%

5

21

1

22 13 4

6

10

12 6

Black Caribbean Black African

Black Other Indian

Pakistani Bangladeshi

Chinese Other Asian

Mixed ethnicity Other

%

However, the report goes on to say that approximately only 1 in 20, of all working women are employed in any SET occupation, compared to nearly 1 in 3 of all working men, and nearly 100 thousand female STEM graduates are either unemployed or economically inactive.

The CBI and the vocational qualifications body EDI surveyed5 694 organisations across the public and private sectors, which together employ 2.4 million people. Half were concerned that they would not be able to fill graduate gaps in the coming years, while a third said they would not be able to recruit enough employees with the right A-level skills.

Young Learners in STEM The Royal Society (Jones and Elias') report 2005, analysed BAME representation in SET at A-level and found that Black African, Indian and Chinese students were very well represented in the SET A-level cohort, while Black Caribbean and Bangladeshi students were poorly represented. It is worth noting that 1 in 5 pupils at state maintained secondary schools in the UK are from an ethnic minority group. However, in the UK: State maintained school pupils are

significantly less likely to take separate sciences and other STEM subjects. They are also far less likely to be taught STEM from teachers with a degree in the subject. For example, 80% of physics teachers in independent schools had a degree in physics, compared to only 30% of those in state schools6.

Independent and grammar school students, on the other hand, are far more likely to take STEM subjects and more likely to get the top grades in those subjects. Just under half of all science A-grades are achieved by pupils in independent schools.

5 CBI/EDI - Ready to Grow: business priorities for

education and skills - Education and Skills Survey 2010 6 Russell Group Briefing February 2009 -

http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/uploads/STEM-briefing.pdf

In 2007, less than one third (32%), of state maintained schools provided the opportunity of taking all three sciences at GCSE.

Pupils who take separate science at

GCSE are more likely to take STEM subjects at A-level and are 76% more likely to get an A or B grade in A-level science compared to those who take double science7

Gender-wise - Girls do well in STEM

GCSEs. In 2009, girls outperformed boys in grades A* to C (pass rate) in six out of twelve STEM GCSE subjects. Source: The UKRC 'Women and men in science, engineering and technology: the UK statistics guide 2010'

Girls and boys enter exams in STEM

GCSEs in almost equal numbers, with girls accounting for 48.8% of all STEM exam entries. Source: The UKRC 'Women and men in science, engineering and technology: the UK statistics guide 2010'

The overall proportional represen-tation of girls in STEM GCSE subjects has slightly improved in the recent years, particularly in physics, chemistry and biology. Source: The UKRC 'Women and men in science, engineering and technology: the UK statistics guide 2010'

More recent statistics highlighted in The Times, Eureka supplement, September 2011, revealed that whilst boys taking physics A level in 2011 outnumbered girls 4:1, girls got better grades; 37.9% achieving A/A* compared with 31.6% for boys. It also noted that: Fewer than 20% of pupils in England,

Wales and Northern Ireland study maths past the age of 16, whilst students in China do maths to 18.

And, in the teaching profession: 500 state schools in England lack

science teachers with qualifications in physics and half of all new physics teachers last only four and a half years!

7 Prime Minister's Strategy Unit (2006):

Participation and Achievement in UK's Science Education.

In fact, 1,000 new physics teachers are needed each year for the next 15 years to match the number of chemistry and biology teachers.

First year university science students

list good teachers as the single most important influence in choosing to do a science degree.

Rewards for STEM graduates Graduates pursuing a career in STEM fields

are well rewarded:

According to the 'CBI Education and Skills

Survey 2009 - Emerging stronger: the

value of education and skills in turbulent

times', STEM graduates receive among the

highest starting salaries of all new recruits:

Graduates in STEM disciplines can expect to be paid significantly more than average. Graduate jobs in science pay £1,000 more than the average graduate starting salary, and the average salary for jobs in engineering is £1,500 more.

Science and technology graduates can also expect a significantly higher earnings premium over the course of their working lives than graduates in disciplines such as social sciences or humanities.

More than a third (36%) of jobs with UK employers require degree-level skills – but this varies from two thirds of jobs (65%) in science, high-tech and IT, to less than a fifth of jobs in retail (17%) and hospitality (13%).

“Teach First is in the process of conducting a UK wide study into the motivations, aspirations and employability of STEM undergraduates. The focus is on:

1. Ascertaining the main motivating factors behind career choice.

2. Exploring the UK students' own perception of an employability skills gap, or lack thereof.

Trendence, a leading provider of market research and consultancy, are conducting the research on behalf of Teach First”

http://graduates.teachfirst.org.uk/about/stem.html

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