Facts, figures and frustrations: the challenges of a national conversation of race disparity

Many providers analyse student race data, for example recruitment, success and progression, to determine race equality gaps to tackle. But if you have a major campaign to raise awareness of an attainment gap for Black students at your institution, how does this affect recruitment of Black students? Does it further entrench deficit assumptions and approaches by teachers and assessors? Does it increase stereotype threat within the students themselves? The Equality Challenge Unit has recently examined reactions to the Cabinet Office’s ‘Ethnicity facts and figures’ site and asks: what lessons for HE?
