Equity in doctoral education – the consortium aims to empower individuals and facilitate institutional change. Researchers at Sheffield Hallam University are leading project evaluation and dissemination, providing an evidence base to share with other Higher Education institutions.

Yorkshire Consortium for Equity in Doctoral Education (YCEDE) tackles race/ethnic inequalities in doctoral study. Funded by the Office for Students and Research England, together with investment of more than £3 million from university partners, YCEDE will deliver a four-year (2022-26) programme of change designed to widen access to postgraduate research (PGR) for UK Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people.

There is strong evidence of inequality at different stages in the PGR pipeline at partner universities. For example, BAME representation drops significantly from undergraduate to postgraduate level and BAME candidates are less likely to receive a PGR offer than White British applicants. Factors contributing to this inequality include an awarding gap in which White undergraduate students are more likely to be awarded a first-class degree than BAME students. This gap is unexplained by prior attainment and impacts on PGR admission processes which favour higher degrees. A further barrier is a bias in favour of graduates from research intensive universities. Social disadvantage is also a barrier and there is a strong correlation between social disadvantage and ethnicity. This inequality means that important voices are not heard and research is deprived of invaluable opportunities for creative problem solving.

In response, YCEDE focuses on access to postgraduate research for graduates from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. YCEDE will nurture and empower a strong community of researchers with the knowledge, confidence and leadership skills to impact the needs of a sustainable and fairer global society. YCEDE focuses on three main elements to promote institutional change:

1.  Improving access to PG research degrees: providing advice on PhD applications, funding, and PGR life and careers via an online student network and programme of student events. The YCEDE Research Internship Scheme will support 120+ students to gain research experience. Over 30 ring-fenced PhD scholarships plus bespoke training and mentoring will encourage talented Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people to consider PG research.
2. Reforming policies and processes for PGR recruitment and selection: changing institutional policies, processes and culture to reduce inequality in offer rates, training staff involved in PGR recruitment and selection.
3. Enhancing the on-course PGR experience: designing bespoke and tailored mentoring that will be shared across the consortium and beyond. Trained mentors will offer support and provide space to discuss career goals and the YCEDE PhD scholarship programme and other activities will bring together PGRs and diverse mentors and role models from inside and outside the universities.

Sheffield Hallam University are leading the evaluation and dissemination of project activities. The aim is to provide an evidence base that we will share widely across the Higher Education sector and beyond. An advisory group of postgraduate researchers are involved in the co-creation of evaluation tools. You can read more about our contribution on the YCEDE website.