̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge - Graham Virgo

̽��ֱ�� welcomes suspension of NSS boycott

ps748 — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 17:26:45 +0000

Statement on the National Student Survey 2022:

Following discussions between the Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) and sabbatical officers from Cambridge SU, we are announcing actions to be taken by the ̽��ֱ�� to improve student consultation and feedback, and alleviate concerns about the National Student Survey.

In recognition of Cambridge SU’s boycott of the NSS, three commitments have been made;

1. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� will publicly oppose any attempts by the Government or the Office for Students to link undergraduate home student tuition fees to the Teaching Excellence Framework, which is informed by NSS results. This statement, recently affirmed by the General Board’s Education Committee, will be included in the ̽��ֱ��’s response to the Office for Students’ consultation on the Teaching Excellence Framework.

2. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� and Cambridge SU will co-author and implement a student consultation framework to guarantee productive student participation in decision-making in Faculties, Departments, Schools and the wider ̽��ֱ��.

3. Any report from the Reading Week Working Group recommending the introduction of a mid-term break will be considered by the General Board and the ̽��ֱ�� Council by the end of this academic year, following the demonstration of strong support for a mid-term break in the SU referendum.

As a result of these commitments, Cambridge SU has agreed to suspend its boycott of the National Student Survey for 2022.

Professor Graham Virgo, Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), said:

“I am pleased to have worked closely with the SU on the important issues of student consultation and feedback. Student participation is valuable, both in our own decision-making processes, and in the National Student Survey. I encourage all final-year students to fill it in: it is quick to complete and gathers valuable information on students’ opinions. What we learn from the survey can be used to make changes that will make a real difference to future students…the survey really does help prospective students make informed decisions on where and what to study.”

Zaynab Ahmed, SU Undergraduate Access, Education and Participation Officer, said:

"We're so pleased to see the ̽��ֱ�� make these commitments after years of student campaigning against the NSS. One of the biggest limitations of the survey is that it fails to provide nuanced and contextualised information about studying at Cambridge, so I'm especially excited to develop a Student Consultation Framework with the ̽��ֱ��, which we hope will give students more opportunity to voice their opinions throughout their time here. We're glad that the ̽��ֱ�� agrees with Cambridge SU that the NSS, which informs the Teaching Excellence Framework, should not, and cannot, be used by the Government to change university tuition fees."

Zak Coleman, SU Undergraduate President, said:

“I’m very pleased to see the ̽��ֱ�� committing to these much-needed measures, in particular acknowledging the benefits of a mid-term break to address chronic issues of poor student mental health and burnout, which recently received strong student backing in an SU-run referendum. We look forward to working with the ̽��ֱ�� to fully implement these commitments.”

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge has issued a joint statement with Cambridge Students' Union. As a result of commitments being made by the ̽��ֱ�� the SU has agreed to suspend its boycott of the National Student Survey.

Student participation is valuable, both in our own decision-making processes, and in the National Student Survey.

Prof Graham Virgo

Senate House

̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright © ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – as here, on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.

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Withdrawal of application fee for doctoral applicants

ps748 — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 14:07:37 +0000

̽��ֱ��change has been made in consultation with the Cambridge Students’ Union, and is intended to remove barriers to students who wish to undertake doctoral degrees. It is one of a number of recent initiatives that the ̽��ֱ�� is undertaking to improve the diversity of students applying to undertake research degrees at the ̽��ֱ��.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� is also working in collaboration with the ̽��ֱ�� of Oxford to assess how best to consider the context and background of postgraduate applicants when selecting students to receive offers, and with UCL and City ̽��ֱ�� to identify ways to develop interest in undertaking advanced study for students currently studying for their first degree.

Professor Graham Virgo, Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), said “I am pleased we are able to announce this change for postgraduate applicants. I feel strongly that the Collegiate ̽��ֱ�� should remove barriers to talented students who want to study and research at Cambridge. We know there is more we can do in this respect, so this work continues.”

Amelia Jabry, Postgraduate Access, Education, and Participation officer for Cambridge Students’ Union, said "Cambridge SU, having lobbied for this change, welcomes the ̽��ֱ��'s commitment to scrap the doctoral application fee and reduce the master's fee. This will remove a significant barrier to postgraduate study at Cambridge and allow talented prospective students, both domestic or international, to apply. This commitment is certainly a positive step, but there is still further work to be done from Cambridge SU and the ̽��ֱ�� to make postgraduate study more accessible."

̽��ֱ��above changes do not apply to applications for courses admitted by the Judge Business School (MBA, eMBA, Global MBA, MFin, MAcc).

Postgraduate students applying to undertake a doctoral degree at Cambridge will no longer have to pay a fee to submit their application to study at Cambridge. This will come into effect from the 2022/23 application cycle, for admissions in 2023/24. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� will also reduce the application fee for non-doctoral postgraduate study to £50.

I feel strongly that the Collegiate ̽��ֱ�� should remove barriers to talented students

Professor Graham Virgo

Yes

Campaign donors help students at Cambridge

ps748 — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 15:02:14 +0000

̽��ֱ��first phase was aimed at UK Black undergraduate students, and the second at British Pakistani and Bangladeshi students.

Grants ranging from £12,000 to £20,000 have been given to nine postgraduates studying for their Master’s to cover outstanding fees and living costs. And additional awards of £1,750 have been given to 21 undergraduates to help with maintenance costs. More than £180,000 has been awarded in total.

Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Virgo, said:

“ ̽��ֱ��Get In campaign has been successful in breaking down misguided perceptions of Cambridge among under-represented groups of students who may have been put off applying. ̽��ֱ��videos that were produced for social media reached new audiences of young people and enabled us to say directly to them that Cambridge is a place where you can come to and thrive. Thanks to the generosity of the donors backing the campaign we’re now able to help some of those students with their living costs and ease the financial concerns they may have. We know there’s a challenge in encouraging more students from these backgrounds into postgraduate education, so it’s particularly pleasing to see awards being made to those embarking on their Master’s courses.”

Launched in 2019, with the support of a leading group of alumni, the Get In Cambridge campaign has recently won two Digital Impact Awards as well as the Drum Award for Best Social Media and Inclusivity Programme.

One of the students benefitting from an award is Saif Mohammed, who is studying for a Master’s in Theology, Religion and the Philosophy of Religion. Originally from Bradford, he studied for his first degree at the ̽��ֱ�� of Essex and had doubts as to whether Cambridge was the right place for him:

“I am filled with gratitude for this opportunity. I hope that it raises the confidence of other prospective students like me that postgraduate studies and enrolment at Cambridge is really possible, despite any seemingly daunting extrinsic barriers to entry. Watching other students from similar backgrounds to mine in the Get In videos assured me that I am not alone on this journey, and that I wouldn't be totally out of place.”

Zaynab Ahmed was one of the students featured in last year’s videos produced for the campaign. She is now the Access, Education and Participation Officer at the Cambridge Students’ Union:

“Having been involved with Get In Cambridge, it’s incredible to see it evolve from a social media campaign to life-changing funding for students from minority ethnic communities that are under-represented in Higher Education. It’s especially exciting to see dedicated funding for Master’s students as a lack of postgraduate funding means many students are unable to take up offers to study at Cambridge. Going forward, I would love to see Get In commit to more targeted access and outreach work for students.”

̽��ֱ��donors who have given money to the Get In campaign know first-hand about the importance of ensuring higher education remains accessible to all. Most are Cambridge graduates. Iain Drayton, now co-head of Goldman Sachs’ Investment Banking Division in Asia (ex Japan) said:

“At university I learned a lot from talking with people who were majoring in other subjects, and from listening to their differing approaches to problems, challenges and issues. So in my view, encouraging people from different backgrounds to come together is fundamental to bringing diverse perspectives to bear, and to driving new, original and innovative thought.”

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge has made significant improvements in recent years in diversifying its undergraduate population. It recognises there is work to do in ensuring its postgraduate community is also representative of wider UK society and has announced it’ll be embarking on a four year project, in partnership with the ̽��ֱ�� of Oxford, with the aim of removing any systemic barriers that may exist within the postgraduate applications process.

̽��ֱ��image shows undergraduate students who took part in the second phase of the social media campaign in 2020

Thirty students at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge are benefitting from bursaries distributed from the Get in Cambridge campaign. ̽��ֱ��campaign, originally designed for social media, aims to increase the number of students from historically under-represented backgrounds applying to Cambridge.

It's particularly pleasing to see awards being made to those embarking on their Master's courses

Professor Graham Virgo

Get In video campaign of 2020

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Cambridge to tackle barriers to postgraduate education

ps748 — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 10:15:21 +0000

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� is delighted to have been awarded two significant grants by the Office for Students (OfS) and Research England (RE) to deliver innovative and ambitious programmes designed to improve the admission of students from under-represented minority ethnic backgrounds into the highest level of postgraduate education (notably postgraduate research or doctoral study undertaken as PhDs or DPhils).

Across the Higher Education sector the proportion of students from minority ethnic cohorts who continue into initial postgraduate study is lower than for White students, and the gap is even greater in doctoral study. ̽��ֱ��difference is particularly marked for Black British, British Pakistani and British Bangladeshi students. These gaps ultimately mean fewer people from minority ethnic backgrounds progress into academia as a career, resulting in fewer professors with these heritages.

A grant of £800,000 will be shared between the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford enabling the two institutions to work together in a groundbreaking collaboration to develop and test a range of new admissions practices and systems designed to transform selection processes for postgraduate research. A set of new selection model prototypes that build on world-leading inclusive recruitment practices will be tested in a total of 16 volunteer departments, eight in each ̽��ֱ��, and will range from simple and efficient solutions like contextual flags to models that could revolutionise pathways into academic research. Among areas to be considered will be the extent to which systems need to adapt better to take account of different student pathways and trajectories, how, and when to apply, and the availability of support through the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate study.

Professor Graham Virgo, Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, said:

“We are really pleased to be partnering with the ̽��ֱ�� of Oxford, and delighted that this OfS/RE funding competition has brought about the opportunity to share data and current practice so openly. We feel this is indicative of a wider desire across the sector to collaborate to bring about transformational change in representation in postgraduate study.”

̽��ֱ��aim is to halve the current ‘offer gap’ in pilot sites by the end of 2025, with an aspiration to eliminate the gap altogether within one school generation (by 2035). To drive the initial four year project, the two Universities will create four new posts. A range of stakeholders will be consulted at every stage. Included in the programme is a combined Cambridge-Oxford Student Panel. It is intended that the programme will develop a range of new, fair postgraduate admissions processes and tools for use throughout the Higher Education sector.

Dr Katherine Powlesland, Postgraduate Widening Participation Manager at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, said:

“By the time many students from under-represented ethnic groups come to apply for postgraduate research study, they have often chosen pathways that inadvertently may have made it harder for them to access postgraduate research and funding, because of certain established selection practices. We want to find ways to make admissions systems flex better – thinking imaginatively about pre-requisites, really interrogating the inclusivity of our systems, asking the right questions so we can spot and support the best talent – and also to think radically about innovative inclusive recruitment. From the postgraduate communities of Britain’s leading research universities come the experts of tomorrow: the decision-makers and advisors on climate change, on educational policy, on social justice. We need these researchers to represent the widest range of lived experience possible, so that, ultimately, all voices can be heard and no perspective goes unseen.”

Martin Williams, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at the ̽��ֱ�� of Oxford, said:

“We’re delighted that our joint bid with the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge to the OfS/Research England competition to improve access to postgraduate research study for under-represented students has been successful. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� [of Oxford] has taken significant steps in recognising the issue of graduate access in recent years, and this has become a strategic priority building on the work that been done at undergraduate level for years.”

Cambridge’s second successful bid to the same funding competition is a collaboration with ̽��ֱ�� College London and City ̽��ֱ�� and will offer paid summer research internships for students from under-represented ethnic groups.

Dr Powlesland added: “We also know there is a lot we could do further upstream to support ethnic minority students to make successful applications for postgraduate research study. We are delighted that, with the support of the Office for Students and Research England, we are also able to partner with UCL and City on a really exciting project to deliver undergraduate summer research internships. Cambridge will be offering at least 72 paid internships over three years to Black British, British Bangladeshi, and British Pakistani undergraduates as part of the collaboration. We are excited to be pushing for real change in minority ethnic representation in academic research.’

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge has made significant improvements over the last five years in diversifying its undergraduate population so that it is more reflective of UK society as a whole. ̽��ֱ��work in this area has not just been focused on numbers but on improving student experience too. That’s why the Black Advisory Hub was established. As part of this project, new ways of assessing applicants for postgraduate study will be examined, and the ̽��ֱ�� will seek to overturn any systemic barriers that may exist. Today’s postgraduates are, after all, tomorrow’s experts in their respective fields.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, which has a long-established widening participation programme for undergraduate students, is now turning its attention to addressing inequalities that exist across the postgraduate higher education sector.

We want to find ways to make admissions systems flex better

Dr Katherine Powlesland

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Statement on 2021 admissions

ps748 — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 13:43:26 +0000

What is more, 49 students have been offered places through Adjustment (the scheme which offers a place to talented widening participation students who apply but miss out on an offer and then go on to achieve high grades).

With some outstanding decisions yet to be made, it’s looking like the ̽��ֱ�� will be welcoming just over 3,600 freshers in October. This compares to almost 3,900 last year (when we accepted a greater number of students due to a revision in A-level grades) and 3,528 in 2019 (a more representative year to make comparisons with).

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� will be welcoming another record number of state school students. ̽��ֱ��overall figure will be between 71 and 72% and is likely to be closer to 72% (up from 70.6% in 2020, which was itself a record).

We congratulate those students for their hard work during what has been another challenging year. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ��, and Colleges, will be ready to offer extra support to any student who has had their studies disrupted due to the Covid pandemic.

Commenting on this year’s Admissions process, Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Virgo, said:

"After another challenging year for students and teachers, we are pleased that Cambridge has been able to accept all offer holders who met the terms of their offers, without having to ask anyone to defer or move College, as well as another 49 who were made offers through Adjustment. At least 71% of our new students will have attended state schools, another increase on last year’s record, while more than a quarter are from the least advantaged backgrounds, including more than 230 who have declared themselves eligible for Free School Meals. We applaud the achievements of all our new students and look forward to welcoming them in Cambridge in October."

More students will now be eligible for support from our new Cambridge Bursary scheme, with enhanced provision for those on very low incomes. Details of the scheme can be found here.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� is planning to host as much teaching in person this term as possible, as long as it is safe to do so. One of the strengths of a Cambridge education is the small group teaching and supervision we offer…this will continue.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge is pleased to report that all students who met the conditions of their offer this year have been accepted. There has been no need for any deferrals or for any student to switch College to help accommodate numbers.

We applaud the achievements of all our new students

Prof Graham Virgo

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Stormzy scholarships programme expanded

ps748 — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 10:01:35 +0000

A further 30 Black students are to receive a £20,000 per year scholarship to study at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge following a new philanthropic partnership between HSBC UK and the #Merky Foundation, the UK charity founded by British musician, Stormzy.

̽��ֱ��scholarships will fund the tuition fees and maintenance costs (equivalent of £20,000 per student each year) for 10 new students each year over the next three years, for a degree course of either three or four years’ duration.

̽��ֱ��combined support of HSBC UK, the #Merky Foundation and an anonymous donor means the ̽��ֱ�� is set to welcome a total of 13 Stormzy Scholars in the autumn.

̽��ֱ��move represents a significant expansion of ̽��ֱ��Stormzy Scholarship programme, launched in 2018, which to date, has supported six Black students through their Cambridge education.

In June 2020, Stormzy’s #Merky Foundation announced it would be donating £10 million over ten years to charities and other organisations committed to tackling racial inequality in the UK. HSBC UK’s donation is in addition to #Merky Foundation’s initial commitment, with the Foundation encouraging other companies to follow suit and join them in pledging.

̽��ֱ��Stormzy Scholarships are credited with helping Cambridge to attract more applications from a traditionally underrepresented group. In 2017 the ̽��ֱ�� admitted 58 Black British students to undergraduate degree courses. In 2020, this had risen to 137. This represented a 50% increase on the previous year and in turn was coined ‘ ̽��ֱ��Stormzy Effect’.

Stormzy, said: "For 30 more Black students to have the opportunity to study at Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� - the same year our initial 2018 scholars graduate - feels like an incredible milestone. Thank you to HSBC UK for their significant donation and, of course, Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� for always backing our mission. I hope this scholarship continues to serve as a small reminder to young Black students that the opportunity to study at one of the best universities in the world is theirs for the taking."

̽��ֱ��first two Stormzy Scholars graduated this summer with a high 2:1 and 2:1.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge’s Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Virgo, said: "We are enormously grateful to HSBC UK for supporting the #Merky Foundation in funding the degree courses of an additional 30 Black students over the next three years.

"Since the Stormzy Scholarships were announced in 2018 we have seen a significant increase in the number of Black students applying to study here and being admitted and we are very proud to see the first two students supported by the scheme graduate this year. We’re confident that they are starting out on an exciting journey which may not have been possible without the generous support of philanthropists like Stormzy. With the launch of our Foundation Year, for admission next year, we will be in a position to support a lot more students who have experienced educational disadvantage on their path through higher education."

Ian Stuart, Chief Executive of HSBC UK, said: "Education is a great equalizer and a powerful force for change. We are incredibly proud to support the growth of the Stormzy Scholarships at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, helping remove barriers to higher education as part of our wider commitment to support racial equality in the UK."

All Stormzy Scholarship applicants will also have the option to explore work experience, skills development and mentoring opportunities with the bank.

To be eligible for a 2021 award applicants must have a confirmed place to start at Cambridge in October, and be a home student (UK) of Black or mixed race heritage. Applications must be submitted to the ̽��ֱ�� no later than Friday 27 August 2021. ̽��ֱ��students will be selected from a list of applicants by a panel of ̽��ֱ�� staff and experts from higher education. ̽��ֱ��President of the ̽��ֱ��’s student African-Caribbean Society also sits on this selection panel.

Students from low income families can apply for awards of up to £3,500 a year from the Cambridge Bursary Scheme. In the 2019/20 academic year, almost £8.5m was distributed to a total of 2,711 students.

HSBC UK pledges £2m to support 30 new Stormzy Scholars at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge over next three years.

I hope this scholarship continues to serve as a small reminder to young Black students that the opportunity to study at one of the best universities in the world is theirs for the taking

Stormzy

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Letter to the Times clarifies position on oversubscription

ps748 — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 11:11:10 +0000

CAMBRIDGE OFFERS

Sir, Apropos your report “Cambridge to withdraw places if oversubscribed” (Feb 3), the university is not planning to withdraw places from students who meet the terms of their offers. As your article notes, last summer we admitted a record number of students after A-level grades were revised upwards. Fortunately we were able to accommodate this higher intake but only through voluntary entry deferral by some students or by others accepting a place at a college that was not their original choice. This year we altered our terms and conditions to show offer holders that, should their offering college be oversubscribed, we might have to consider these options again. If a student preferred to take up a place at another university, they could, but this would only be necessary if they were not happy with the option of transferring to another college or deferring entry.

Professor Graham Virgo
Senior pro-vice-chancellor (education), ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ��'s Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Virgo, has written to the Times to clarify a misleading story that we would withdraw offers to students in the event of oversubscription. His letter was published on 5th February, 2021.

Senate House

Cambridge welcomes record number of black students

ps748 — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 12:07:55 +0000

This year, 137 have been admitted, a rise of just over 50% on the 2019/20 academic year. This represents 4.6% of the total number of UK undergraduates commencing their studies at the ̽��ֱ�� and follows a similar increase, of almost 50%, last year. There are now more than 300 black British undergraduates at Cambridge.

Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Virgo, said: “In just three years the number of UK based black undergraduates taking up their place at Cambridge has more than tripled. This is testament to their hard work and ambition. ̽��ֱ��Collegiate ̽��ֱ��, its students, and partners, have been working hard to reach out to potential applicants to encourage them to apply.

“We accept this is not just about ensuring that our intake reflects UK society. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ��, and Colleges, need to work hard to ensure that once admitted, all students, no matter what their ethnic background, feel Cambridge is a welcoming place and one in which they can realise their potential and thrive. That is why we’re working with black students at Cambridge to ensure that their education is the best it can possibly be.”

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� has been working in collaboration with black students to identify innovative ways in which the awarding gap between black and white students can be closed (a gap that has been narrowing and which the ̽��ֱ�� is committed to eliminate by 2024). A number of departments throughout the ̽��ֱ�� are examining ways of diversifying the curriculum, and providing a wider choice of authors to study. And the ̽��ֱ�� is providing race awareness and unconscious bias training to all staff.

̽��ֱ��generosity of figures like the grime artist, Stormzy, in providing scholarships for black students at Cambridge each year, has contributed to breaking down barriers. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� has also strengthened its partnership with initiatives like Target Oxbridge, providing more places on its mentoring programmes. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� launched the ‘Get In’ social media campaign aimed at overturning perceptions about what Cambridge is like. In 2019, a series of short films, presented by YouTube influencer, Courtney Daniella, was published. This was followed, earlier this year, by films featuring British Pakistani and Bangladeshi students.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ��’s own students are also engaged in access work, with members of the African-Caribbean Society (ACS) volunteering as mentors for younger students. ̽��ֱ��Society’s president, Sharon Mehari, says the arrival of even more black students this year is a significant step forward:

“As a Society devoted to creating a welcoming and empowering space for all black students, it is an honour and a joy to see that Cambridge will be ushering in its largest intake. This speaks to the passion of the many individuals, organisations, and institutions who have worked to ensure that Cambridge is a place where black students have their academic ability, creativity, ingenuity and heritage valued. There is no doubt that this cohort of students will thrive and leave an impact on Cambridge in ways we have never seen. We, at the ACS, are so excited to celebrate every individual and welcome them into the family.”

Last month, the ̽��ֱ�� announced that, for the first time, 70% of its UK undergraduate intake this year come from state schools, and more than a fifth come from what are officially described as the most deprived areas of the country.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge has welcomed another record number of UK based black undergraduates this year.

In just three years the number of UK based black undergraduates taking up their place at Cambridge has more than tripled. This is testament to their hard work and ambition

Graham Virgo

Sharon Mehari

ACS event

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