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Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiatives in Graduate Engineering: A UK based case study

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Conference

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Publication Date

August 23, 2022

Start Date

June 26, 2022

End Date

June 29, 2022

Conference Session

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society Technical Session 2

Tagged Division

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society Division

Page Count

21

DOI

10.18260/1-2--44662

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/44662

Download Count

278

Paper Authors

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Francesca Bartram

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Natalie Wint

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David Maxwell Rea

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Abstract

Globally, engineering education is characterized by disproportionately low participation rates of ethnic minorities, particularly in graduate study, and there are stark differences between ethnic groups in terms of retention, outcomes, and progression. This suggests the existence of barriers to the progression of minority students into graduate education. The impact of this appears to continue beyond Higher Education, as disparities persist into employment and progression to senior levels. Such disparities have led to a large focus on the implementation of interventions that aim to improve equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I). This work investigates the implementation of a Leadership Course as an ED&I initiative for minority ethnic graduate research students at Swansea University. A thematic approach is utilized to analyze data from semi-structured interviews held with the course participants. The key findings highlight the potential benefit of a Leadership Course for minority ethnic students and certain ways in which the culture of engineering may sustain structures and practices of inequality for disadvantaged groups.

Bartram, F., & Wint, N., & Rea, D. M. (2022, August), Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiatives in Graduate Engineering: A UK based case study Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--44662

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