- New Diversity Impact Programme to tackle long-standing diversity challenges in university engineering departments in the UK
- Projects funded will transform the outcomes and experiences of students from underrepresented groups, including those who are neurodiverse, disabled or from low socioeconomic background.
- Wider engineering Higher Education sector to benefit from new tools and approaches to remove barriers to student progress
The Royal Academy of Engineering’s new Diversity Impact Programme has awarded its first grants of up to £100k each to 11 projects in university engineering departments that address the unequal outcomes experienced by students from diverse and underrepresented groups.
Launched in October last year, the Diversity Impact Programme aims to inspire change in university engineering departments so that all students succeed and the unique perspectives and experiences of engineers from diverse backgrounds continue to enhance the profession.
An important aspect of the programme is that the universities themselves define what they need to meet their diversity challenges. Among the 11 projects in this first cohort are many that focus on socioeconomic background and neurodiversity—two areas that are underserved by research and where available data suggests career progression and sense of belonging within engineering is weak. Several projects will explore the impact an inclusive culture can have on the outcomes of students from diverse and underrepresented groups; others focus specifically on disability, gender, race and ethnicity.
Universities from all over the UK will be involved and the interventions proposed vary from mentoring and work-based projects to the development of an inclusive culture and peer networks.
Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “The Academy’s new Diversity Impact Programme has been designed to support universities in making a step change in diversity and inclusivity across engineering Higher Education. Our goal is to help universities to develop interventions, informed by evidence, that transform the outcomes of students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. It is vital that we seek innovative and creative ways to accelerate the pace of change rather than accepting that incremental improvement is all that is possible.
“There is an extensive evidence base supporting the benefits of diverse teams working in inclusive cultures but there is still a way to go in understanding how to deliver the culture of inclusion that unlocks the power of diversity. These projects will give us invaluable insights and experience that will be shared across the Higher Education community so that we can work collectively to drive positive change”.
The eleven projects being funding are as follows (value of award in brackets). More detail about each project can be found on the Academy’s website here.
- De Montfort University (£95,306)
Access to high-profile jobs: closing the gap
The project establishes an Engineering Sciences Learning Centre and Employability Programme co-designed and co-run with students that will reinforce their academic and professional confidence in pursuing high profile engineering career.
- Imperial College London (£99,450)
Engineering Progression from School to Year 2 at Imperial
Students from low socioeconomic backgrounds face significant barriers to progression. This innovative project supports students for an extended period as they transition from school into their first year and second years at Imperial. The project builds on a recent pilot project and provides strategic interventions and relationships at key moments in the student’s journey creating opportunities for leadership, academic and personal development as part of a broad package of support.
- Kings College London (£82,642)
Success for Black engineers
Attainment outcomes for Black engineers at undergraduate level, and for Black students of engineering subjects at school, are weaker than for their white counterparts. This project addresses this problem by providing tailored support for students at key moments in their journey. It trains students from the university’s existing Black community to become peer mentors and Black and minority ethnic staff to become academic mentors for these students. There is an explicit outcome for the university to increase its knowledge and understanding of the experience of Black engineering students. The project also supports wellbeing and personal development, acknowledging that academic attainment cannot be viewed separately from a student's broader experience and growth.
- Loughborough University (£65,000)
Don't forget the Mortar! A new approach to engineering education
This project considers the experiences and activities that form the culture of an institution outside of the core academic content. It acknowledges that this culture is often designed (explicitly or implicitly) by and for majority groups, which can leave people from underrepresented groups less able to navigate the culture and feeling excluded. This results in low levels of belonging which is a significant factor in attainment and retention.
- Newcastle University (£98,661)
Peer networks: cultivating an inclusive culture and sense of belonging
A lack of access to peer networks has been identified as a barrier to the success and feelings of belonging of engineering undergraduates from diverse and underrepresented groups. This project will examine the structures and accessibility of existing peer networks and identify and evaluate new opportunities to join and form networks to improve feelings of belonging and outcomes for students from all backgrounds.
- Sheffield University (£95,782)
Diversity Confidence in Engineering (DiCE)
Reflecting challenges in the wider sector, the university’s research suggests that students from underrepresented groups take longer to settle or be accepted, that neurodivergent students struggle to transition into and out of university, that there is an awarding gap between students from some Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds and their peers from white backgrounds, and that women are less attracted to engineering programmes than men. Taking an approach that prioritises relationship building and collaboration, this project brings stakeholders together to build skills, empathy and practical frameworks with an explicit aim of developing a more inclusive culture that can shape engineering activity for the public good.
- Swansea University (£98,722)
50% for the Future
The representation of women within Swansea University’s mechanical engineering cohort is 8.5%. This project strives to address this underrepresentation via evidence-based, beneficiary defined interventions. The project has an ambitious overarching aim to act as a springboard to achieve “50% for the Future” equal representation of men and women, not only studying mechanical engineering at Swansea University, but within the profession.
- University of Central Lancashire (£100,000)
The EASE Zone
The development of entrepreneurial skills and professional networks are at the heart of this project. In order to tackle the low rate of transfer to employment and low rate of attraction into higher education for some underrepresented groups the project is embedding employers into the teaching and learning environment to build confidence, relationships, develop solutions and facilitate a more effective transition between education and the workplace.
- University of East London (£66,250)
Together Empowered: voicing minority groups in tackling climate change
This project models a way of addressing the lack of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the engineering profession and the benefits greater inclusion can bring to the key issues of our time. It does so by facilitating the engagement of engineering students from diverse backgrounds with industry partners to develop innovative solutions to the global issue of climate. As students collaborate with professionals to develop innovative solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change they will develop skills, confidence and a new affinity with their chosen field. Industry partners will experience the benefit of engaging with diverse perspectives and be supported to develop the skills required to lead inclusive teams and cultures.
- University of Plymouth (£93,667)
Embedding systemic inclusion for neurodiverse and disabled engineering students
This project takes a system level approach to the experience of inclusion/exclusion for neurodiverse and disabled engineering students. It considers interventions that motivate stronger engagement and identification with engineering for students from these groups and has an equal focus on the institutional factors that affect outcomes. Interventions cover the creation of new accountability structures, co-creation methods applied to content creation, staff training, raising awareness of the lived experience of disabled and neurodiverse students as well as the creation of tools for use across the institution and beyond.
- University of Strathclyde (£99,751)
Strathclyde Engineering Scholars—equal outcomes for the most disadvantaged
Half of engineering students from disadvantaged backgrounds will not complete their degree. Those who do demonstrate lower attainment and are typically men. This project establishes a comprehensive, personalised ‘in-kind’ scholarship programme enabling those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds to access and successfully navigate university engineering education with equal outcomes before transitioning to professional graduate employment in alignment with their peers.
Projects will run for between 12 to 18 months. All grant recipients have demonstrated a commitment to transformative change and will join a community of practice to facilitate learning across the cohort of grantees and the wider engineering higher education sector.
This programme is funded through the Academy’s allocation of funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Notes for Editors
- The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone. In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public. Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age.
Media enquiries to: Pippa Cox at the Royal Academy of Engineering Tel. +44 207 766 0745; email: [email protected]