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Engineering and Physical Sciences E-News: January 2015 STEM Policy and Practice News

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Engineering and Physical Sciences E-News: January 2015 STEM Policy and Practice News Engineering and Physical Sciences e-news: January 2015 Welcome to the January e-bulletin from the University of Birmingham’s STEM Education Centre. It is designed to provide you with information about STEM - related events, resources, news and updates that may be of interest to you and your colleagues. STEM Policy and Practice News Gender gap in university admissions rises to record level Women accepted to study at university outnumbered men by record levels last year, with female applicants dominating entrance to medicine, law and biology undergraduate degrees. The 2014 admissions data from UCAS, the UK’s universities clearing house, also revealed record numbers of acceptances for disabled people and Asian and black ethnic groups, with a falling proportion for students from independent schools. While women have outnumbered men in admissions for years, the 2014 figures show the gap has widened to nearly 58,000, with women making up more than half of students in two- thirds of subject areas. Men remain over-represented in most STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects, most notably in engineering where there are 20,000 more men than women, and computing science, where there are 17,000 more. Women are particularly strongly represented in subjects allied to medicine, with 32,000 more women accepted in 2014. In medicine and dentistry – among the most competitive undergraduate courses – there were 5,000 women and 3,800 men accepted last year. The success of female applicants mirrors the trend in GCSE and A-level results, with girls outperforming boys across the grade scale. In 2013, girls received A* or A grades at GCSE in 25% of papers taken, compared with nearly 18% of boys’ papers. UCAS said a record 36,000 UK applicants who declared a disability were accepted by universities – an increase of 3,700 on the previous year. The 45,000 UK students from Asian ethnic groups and 30,000 from black ethnic groups were the highest numbers ever placed through Ucas. The growth in students from state schools has lowered the proportion of UK entrants from the independent sector. In 2007, privately educated students made up 11% of the 256,000 acceptances but last year the proportion was 9% of 307,000. The UCAS data also showed that many students are applying to university with qualifications other than A-levels. Last year the number accepted onto degree courses holding Btec qualifications – the equivalent to A-levels, usually in vocational subjects such as business studies – rose to 85,000, almost double the number that held BTECs in 2008. Quality of European research threatened by cuts British universities risk losing their position as world-leading institutions if proposed cuts to the European Union research budget go ahead, according to the president of University Alliance. Horizon 2020 is worth £67bn over the next six years (2014-2020), with UK academics in line to receive £2bn in the first two years of the programme. But in a European Commission legislative proposal this week, plans have been tabled to divert money away from Horizon 2020 to the newly created European Fund for Strategic Investments. This new funding pot is not dedicated to front-end research, but is designed instead to bolster Europe’s economy and create jobs. Concern about the proposed cuts has been growing among universities and research organisations in the UK and EU. In De cember, universities and research bodies from across Europe issued a joint statement arguing that cuts to Horizon 2020 would impact on the budgets of the European Research Council (ERC), jeopardise the support available to early career researchers, and damage access to research infrastructures across Europe Maddalaine Ansell, chief executive of University Alliance, said the proposal – which is expected to pass – was a backwards step for UK and European researchers. “UK universities get up to 20% of their ex ternal research income from the EU. So a hit to the Horizon 2020 budget will have a significant negative impact on our research base.” says Ansell. She adds: “ Many Horizon 2020 funding streams are directed towards those parts of the economy with the greatest potential to grow sustainably. They give particular support to SMEs. A reduction to the Horizon 2020 budget will impact on universities’ capacity to drive innovation within SMEs and to promote growth in their local areas and region. ” Anonymise admissions, says race equality report The overhaul of admissions, in which applicants would be identified by a number rather than their name, would reduce “unconscious bias” against students from ethnic minorities by university admissions staff, according to a study by the race equality thinktank the Runnymede Trust. The recommendation is based on evidence that black and ethnic minority students are less likely to secure a place at top universities even when they have the same grades. Once A-level grades a re taken into account, 52% of applications by white British students to Russell Group universities resulted in offers compared with only 44.7 % for black Caribbean students, 42.6 % for Bangladeshi students and 39.6 per cent for Pakistani students. For those from black African backgrounds, the offer rate was 39.6 per cent. The analysis is an update on work published in March 2013, which led the report to conclude that admissions at Russell Group universities were “far from fair” . Her findings were later disputed by UCAS, whose own analysis found that much of the difference in offer rates was caused by ethnic minorities applying to highly competitive courses, such as medicine or dentistry. However, it said that universities may want to investigate the “ small differences ” in offer-making. On the latest report, Wendy Piatt, director general of the Russell Group, pointed out that “ a crucial piece of the jigsaw ” was missing because the research took no account of whether students had taken the right A levels for their intended degree course. “Real progress ” had been made in improving the diversity of the student population at Russell Group universities, she said. “The numbers of black students accepted by Russell Group universities went up 40 per cent between 2010 and 2014 and the number of Asian students by 13 per cent, ” she said, adding “we are keen to see this trend continue further ”. A spokesman for UCAS said: “ Data such as an applicant’s ethnic group, religion or sexual orientation is only released to HE providers after decisions or offers have been made. Ad missions professionals do have access to applicant names and there is no evidence that this causes any bias in decision making.” Vikki Boliver was one of the contributing authors to the Runnymede Trust's publication, Aiming Higher: Race, Inequality and Div ersity in the Academy and shares her insight in ‘The Conversation’ here: http://bit.ly/The_Conversation The report - Aiming Higher: Race, Inequality and Diversity in the Academy – is available here: http://bit.ly/Aiming_higher_report Dowling Review: Call for evidence The UK’s national academy for engineering has announced a call for evidence to enable government to support the development of more effective collaborations between UK businesses and universities. Dame Ann Dowling, president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, has been asked by the Minister for Universities, Science and Cities, Greg Clark MP, to lead a review examining how government can support the development of more fruitful relationships between UK businesses and UK university researchers. The academy is looking to both the private and academic sector to come forward and share their experiences in managing collaborations and ventures with each other and suggestions for how government can help facilitate productive relationships. The aim of the review is to help businesses and academia to better understand each other’s needs, interests and constraints and to develop trusting relationships which will allow them to share long-term strategic plans. The findings will advise government on the best course of action to foster these collaborations between industry and academia. The review will consider the implications for the full spectrum of research disciplines and businesses of different sizes, types and sectors. Dame Dowling said: “ We want to hear from individuals and organisations that are involved in business-academia collaborations and the successes and challenges that they have faced in building productive ongoing relationships. But we also want to hear from those who did not succeed. To make a parallel with the world of research, a negative result is still a very valuable result and will be essential in generating a comprehensive body of evidence .” Information on ‘how to submit evidence’ can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/Dowling_review_call_for_evidence Carter review says universities ' key ' to teacher training The importance of universities’ role in teacher training has been stressed by a major government-commissioned review of the field. However, the review, which was drawn together by a panel involving university and schools representatives, has also prompted criticism over a suggestion that the postgraduate certificate of education – one the main academic qualifications offered to students – should be “ optional ” to qualifying as a teacher. In his foreword to the review, Sir Andrew Carter – who led the review – said “partnership is the key” and that the “diversity of provision, whilst identified as a challenge by some, is probably a strength of the system ”. “Sometimes universities will take the lead, som etimes and increasingly, it will be the schools that lead the way ,” he writes. “However, neither can do it alone and our review has made recommendations that emphasise the strength of working together within a system that is increasingly school led.” The report highlights specific benefits university involvement can bring – including evidence- based teaching and access to research – which was supported in its recommended changes to policymakers.
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