INEQUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION OUTCOMES IN THE UK: SUBJECTIVE EXPECTATIONS, PREFERENCES, AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Essex
Department Name: Inst for Social and Economic Research
Abstract
Higher education is a priority in UK government policy, but access to university is still unequal, with well-off families being strongly over-represented among university students. Moreover, among university students, inequalities continue to emerge with differences in dropout rates, degree class and labour market outcomes by socio-economic status. Any policy aimed at reducing inequality in university outcomes can only be successful if the underlying mechanisms are clearly understood. This proposal aims to understand how differences by socio-economic status in perceptions about own academic ability, beliefs about the factors to success at university, willingness to take risk and invest in the future, access to information and job search strategy contribute to inequality in university attainment and labour market outcomes of university graduates in the UK.
We first propose to use linked administrative data to provide a comprehensive description of the association between parental socio-economic status and dropout rates, degree class, employment, earnings, and participation in post-graduate education in the UK over the last decade. We then propose to explore specific mechanisms for the emergence of these inequalities and evaluate interventions that could reduce them. Earlier literature points to several factors which may undermine disadvantaged students' success at university. Students from disadvantaged groups tend to be more present-biased and less likely to plan ahead and invest in the future; they tend to have less information about their own academic ability and other relevant aspects of university outcomes; and they tend to have social networks containing more people in unemployment or on benefits.
By conducting a new field experiment on a cohort of university students, we aim to assess whether interventions aimed at providing new information about the relationship between university outcomes and labour market outcomes, and at changing students' time perspective (i.e. the tendency to live in the past or only for the moment), modify students' beliefs, preferences, working habits, job search strategy and ultimately impact their academic and labour market outcomes. Using secondary data analysis, we will also explore whether early performance in university exams affects dropout and degree class differently by socio-economic characteristics, and examine whether socio-economic differences in access to social networks and local labour markets are partly responsible for inequality in employment and earnings.
This proposal is highly innovative on several dimensions. It employs a variety of methods, such as randomised experiments, specifically intended to uncover causal relationships. It analyses several different datasets, including linked administrative records, a new field study involving panel surveys, and qualitative interviews. It adopts a multidisciplinary approach, combining models of decision making from economics and psychology and collecting measures of expectations, preferences, and other important individual traits. Most importantly, it focuses on the mechanisms through which, and the levels at which, inequalities in university attainment and labour market outcomes occurs and evaluate specific interventions: it therefore is ideally placed to provide concrete policy recommendation.
We first propose to use linked administrative data to provide a comprehensive description of the association between parental socio-economic status and dropout rates, degree class, employment, earnings, and participation in post-graduate education in the UK over the last decade. We then propose to explore specific mechanisms for the emergence of these inequalities and evaluate interventions that could reduce them. Earlier literature points to several factors which may undermine disadvantaged students' success at university. Students from disadvantaged groups tend to be more present-biased and less likely to plan ahead and invest in the future; they tend to have less information about their own academic ability and other relevant aspects of university outcomes; and they tend to have social networks containing more people in unemployment or on benefits.
By conducting a new field experiment on a cohort of university students, we aim to assess whether interventions aimed at providing new information about the relationship between university outcomes and labour market outcomes, and at changing students' time perspective (i.e. the tendency to live in the past or only for the moment), modify students' beliefs, preferences, working habits, job search strategy and ultimately impact their academic and labour market outcomes. Using secondary data analysis, we will also explore whether early performance in university exams affects dropout and degree class differently by socio-economic characteristics, and examine whether socio-economic differences in access to social networks and local labour markets are partly responsible for inequality in employment and earnings.
This proposal is highly innovative on several dimensions. It employs a variety of methods, such as randomised experiments, specifically intended to uncover causal relationships. It analyses several different datasets, including linked administrative records, a new field study involving panel surveys, and qualitative interviews. It adopts a multidisciplinary approach, combining models of decision making from economics and psychology and collecting measures of expectations, preferences, and other important individual traits. Most importantly, it focuses on the mechanisms through which, and the levels at which, inequalities in university attainment and labour market outcomes occurs and evaluate specific interventions: it therefore is ideally placed to provide concrete policy recommendation.
Planned Impact
Potential beneficiaries from this research include:
- Young people in the UK, and especially those from underprivileged background, who could achieve better university outcomes conditional on participating in higher education.
- Civil servants, politicians and other policy-makers. Our research will directly evaluate the impact of two specific interventions aiming at improving higher education outcomes (including employment) of UK undergraduates, and will inform policy makers about the type of support that youths from disadvantaged backgrounds most need, and when the best time to provide support is. It will therefore provide valuable information that enables policy makers to review and improve their current policies and strategies. Our findings will be of direct relevance to - and inform policy decisions of - officials in the Department for Education, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, the Child Poverty Unit (which seeks to raising the achievement of disadvantaged children), the Equality and Human Rights Commission (which seeks to promote fairness and equal opportunity in the UK's future economy) and the Department for Work and Pensions.
- Data owners, such as HESA, and DfE. Our analyses require the use of linked administrative datasets, the creation and validation of longitudinal identifiers (HESA Student Records), the use of consistent indicators of attainment and socio-economic status over time. We will work in partnership with these data owner organizations to create resources which will be of long-lasting value to the wider research community.
- Practitioners and non-governmental organisations. Our project will benefit think-tanks and non-governmental organisations with an interest in higher education policy. As well as the Early Intervention Foundation, with which we are already in contact with, these include the Sutton Trust, Child Poverty Action Group, the Resolution Foundation. Interested practitioners include universities (in particular the University of Essex and the University of Leeds), including for example widening participation offices, and secondary school teachers and managers. They will gain a greater understanding of the type of interventions that can help improve access and university outcomes from young people from disadvantaged groups.
- Media/the general public. We anticipate that the outputs of this project will be of interest, as issues related to inequality in higher education are popular topics with the media. Many people will relate to, or have an opinion about, our findings, so the public will benefit from a discourse about these topics.
- The academic community. Our findings will interest other academics working on higher education in the UK and elsewhere, on human capital investment and on inequality. They will also interest academics with a methodological interest in the use of new data (such as the combination of field and lab experiments).
- The members of the project team. All researchers in this project will benefit from rehearsing and applying advanced analytical methods, and being involved in survey design and fieldwork. Skill development will also occur through interactions with government departments, third sector organisations and conference proceedings.
- Young people in the UK, and especially those from underprivileged background, who could achieve better university outcomes conditional on participating in higher education.
- Civil servants, politicians and other policy-makers. Our research will directly evaluate the impact of two specific interventions aiming at improving higher education outcomes (including employment) of UK undergraduates, and will inform policy makers about the type of support that youths from disadvantaged backgrounds most need, and when the best time to provide support is. It will therefore provide valuable information that enables policy makers to review and improve their current policies and strategies. Our findings will be of direct relevance to - and inform policy decisions of - officials in the Department for Education, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, the Child Poverty Unit (which seeks to raising the achievement of disadvantaged children), the Equality and Human Rights Commission (which seeks to promote fairness and equal opportunity in the UK's future economy) and the Department for Work and Pensions.
- Data owners, such as HESA, and DfE. Our analyses require the use of linked administrative datasets, the creation and validation of longitudinal identifiers (HESA Student Records), the use of consistent indicators of attainment and socio-economic status over time. We will work in partnership with these data owner organizations to create resources which will be of long-lasting value to the wider research community.
- Practitioners and non-governmental organisations. Our project will benefit think-tanks and non-governmental organisations with an interest in higher education policy. As well as the Early Intervention Foundation, with which we are already in contact with, these include the Sutton Trust, Child Poverty Action Group, the Resolution Foundation. Interested practitioners include universities (in particular the University of Essex and the University of Leeds), including for example widening participation offices, and secondary school teachers and managers. They will gain a greater understanding of the type of interventions that can help improve access and university outcomes from young people from disadvantaged groups.
- Media/the general public. We anticipate that the outputs of this project will be of interest, as issues related to inequality in higher education are popular topics with the media. Many people will relate to, or have an opinion about, our findings, so the public will benefit from a discourse about these topics.
- The academic community. Our findings will interest other academics working on higher education in the UK and elsewhere, on human capital investment and on inequality. They will also interest academics with a methodological interest in the use of new data (such as the combination of field and lab experiments).
- The members of the project team. All researchers in this project will benefit from rehearsing and applying advanced analytical methods, and being involved in survey design and fieldwork. Skill development will also occur through interactions with government departments, third sector organisations and conference proceedings.
Publications
Angus Holford
(2017)
Access to and Returns from Unpaid Graduate Internships
Costas-Fernández J
(2023)
The effect of foreign students in higher education on native students' outcomes
in European Economic Review
Del Bono E
(2022)
For some, luck matters more: the impact of the great recession on the early careers of graduates from different socio-economic backgrounds*
in Oxford Economic Papers
Del Bono, E
(2021)
Graduates' labour market and training expectations during COVID-19
Delavande A
(2018)
Student preferences over fees, grants and loans
Delavande A
(2016)
BOOST 2018: Treatment effects of the BOOST Year 1 intervention
Delavande A
(2022)
Academic and non-academic investments at university: The role of expectations, preferences and constraints
in Journal of Econometrics
Delavande A
(2017)
ESTIMATING THE PRODUCTION FUNCTION OF GRADUATE SKILLS AT UNIVERSITY
Delavande A
(2016)
BOOST 2018: Study habits, beliefs and final exam performance
| Title | What your brain can do (control) |
| Description | This 10-minute video was the control video that respondents randomly assigned into control viewed. Like the treatment video, it was entitled "What your brain can do", featured the same three talking heads; Steffan Kennett and Nick Cooper (Psychology, Essex) and Wandi Briune de Bruin (Psychology, Leeds); had the same visual style, and lasted 10 minutes. Unlike the treatment video, it focused on the specialities of different regions of the brain, with evidence from studies showing the implications of damage to these regions. It contained no study tips, only information about which parts of the brain are being used when undertaking certain activities. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Impact | See impact of What your brain can do (treatment) |
| Title | What your brain can do (treatment) |
| Description | This 10-minute video presents the following information: People's brains adapt and grow in response to learning opportunities. Example given from a study showing the size of key parts of the brain increased following language training. ? Structure of the brain, neurons, dendrites and synapses. New imaging techniques show that the structure of a neuron is not fixed, and new dendritic spines can grow quickly. ? This teaches us that we should think of the brain as a muscle: It grows with exercise. The more you challenge your brain to learn, retain and retrieve new information, the more dendritic spines you physically grow, the more you revisit the new connections you make, and the longer they will stay. ? Example: Study in which training one area of the brain using a computer game leads to improvements in other cognitive domains, that persisted for over one year. ? Mistakes and challenges are really important for learning. When you are finding something difficult, it is not that you are reaching the limits of your ability, but an opportunity to train your brain to get stronger in that area by creating new neurons or new connections. ? Example: brain activity highest after a mistake, but this is only true for those who believed that ability can grow. If you belief your ability is not fixed, you can learn from your mistakes. ? A poor mark does not mean you have low ability. You can train your brain to grow. ? This means the most effective kind of study is where you challenge yourself, giving four study tips: o Testing. [Expand on this after: Writing notes, using flashcards, completing past papers, or using textbook questions. This is a form of active learning. More passive methods are only good for encoding information in memory the first time] o Spacing. [Study time on a particular topic is better distributed among several sessions. It last longer and more brain connections get formed. Material reviewed several times stays in the memory much longer. Cramming might feel effective but doesn't give the brain the opportunity to store information in long term memory] o Attending lectures and classes. [Especially complemented with note-taking and reading assignments]. o Avoiding bad situations. [Stress and lack of sleep inhibits formation of new brain cells and encoding of new information. Distractions like music or checking one's phone consume part of working memory so prevent encoding of information. Exercise improves blood flow to the brain] |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Impact | This video was presented to half of the students enrolled in the BOOST cohort. Those assigned to the video perform about 1.4 marks out of 100 better than those assigned to a control video, and this rises to 1.8 marks for Home students. Both of these coefficients are significant at the 10% level. They are are 2.4 percentage points more likely to get a first class mark on a given module, and 3.8 percentage points more likely to get at least a 2:1, other things equal. |
| Description | In this project we analyse inequalities in university and labour market outcomes of graduate students and investigate the mechanisms driving these inequalities. Our findings touch upon different types of inequalities - by socio-economic status, ethnicity, and gender - and point out the importance of understanding individual subjective expectations (or beliefs) about the benefits and the costs of different choices, as well as the role played by ambiguity in risk perceptions. Our key findings are: - Socio-economic inequalities. Using data from the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education from different cohorts of students, we find that during a recession recent graduates from less advantaged family backgrounds are more likely to become unemployed, to work part-time, and to earn less than students from more advantaged families. Professional networks established while at university are identified as an important factor in determining the unequal costs of a recession (Del Bono and Morando 2021). - Ethnic inequalities. Delavande, Del Bono and Holford (2020) shed new light on the factors generating ethnic differences in graduates' outcomes. We focus here on the students' decisions to invest in academic or non-academic activities, such as job placements or volunteering. We use newly collected data from the BOOST2018 survey to study students' subjective expectations about the labour market returns to these different activities and the enjoyment they derive from them. The analysis reveals significant ethnic differences in the level of investments, expected academic and labour market returns, and enjoyment of academic and non-academic activities. Constraints due to labour market opportunities are found to be more binding for ethnic minorities and explain a significant part of the ethnic gaps. - Gender inequalities. During the collection of data for BOOST2018, we designed, implemented, and tested the effects of different interventions aimed at reducing inequalities in student outcomes. One such intervention targeted students' beliefs about one own's ability and the returns to effort. The intervention had larger effect on male than female students and significantly decreased gender gaps in achievement at the end of the first year of study through changes in both the quantity and the quality of study time. This shows we can reduce the gender gap in educational attainment by light-touch interventions aimed at changing students' beliefs about the returns to effort. The resulting paper is available here: Delavande et al. (2022), https://drive.google.com/file/d/1alcmVNjcVKcGBJBHsnqba2xUaot6MDDH/view - Ambiguity in risk perceptions. In the latest survey of the BOOST2018 study, we introduced a new module about individual perceptions of the health risks associated to Covid-19 - including the risk of getting infected and that of transmitting the disease - and how these perceptions inform behaviours. A specific innovation of the data collection was the elicitation of ambiguity in risk perceptions. We show that people who expect higher returns in terms of own infection are significantly more likely to abide by social distancing and hygiene practices, while people who expect higher returns in terms of transmission to others are more likely to avoid social contacts. Consistently with economic theory, individuals who express more ambiguity are less likely to adopt protective behaviours. The resulting paper is available here: Delavande et al. (2021), https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aucKg2HFAwo4k2V7dhTx7rkjWYctEaif/view. |
| Exploitation Route | Our goal over the next few years is to continue to communicate the research findings emerging from this project in partnership with third sector organizations, professional bodies working in the area of Higher Education, and the wider community of research users (e.g. through participation to conferences, workshops and lectures). Where appropriate we will seek out opportunities to disseminate our findings to the general public through media coverage or participation in public engagement events (e.g. Festival of Social Science). Most of our engagement activities will be carried out with the support of MiSoC (ES/S012486/11) as we can benefit from the its larger and wider communication and impact infrastructure. |
| Sectors | Education Healthcare Government Democracy and Justice |
| URL | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1alcmVNjcVKcGBJBHsnqba2xUaot6MDDH/view |
| Description | Summary This project has made significant contributions to debates on socio-economic inequalities in education, graduate outcomes, and student finance policy. Our findings have informed discussions on unpaid internships, higher education funding, and widening participation policies in both the UK and Australia. The project's impact extends beyond academia, influencing government inquiries, university policies, and public discourse. Key areas of engagement include student finance reform, international student policy, graduate outcomes, and alternative pathways to university admission. We highlight below the main examples of impact: 1. International Students and Higher Education Policy The growing financial reliance of UK universities on international student fees has coincided with government policies restricting student visas and a broader media discourse suggesting that international students may be limiting opportunities for domestic students. Our research has provided clear evidence refuting this claim, demonstrating that international students have no detrimental effects on British students and, in some cases, offer academic and labor market benefits (Costas-Fernandez, Morando & Holford, 2023). To ensure our findings reached key stakeholders, we disseminated this evidence through UK in a Changing Europe, an influential think tank, which led to further invitations to contribute to sector-wide debates. This work gained national media attention, prompting us to respond to misleading claims with a published letter in The Guardian, emphasizing the value of international students in UK higher education. The research was also submitted as formal evidence to the Education Committee Inquiry on International Students in English Universities, ensuring that policymakers had access to objective, data-driven insights when considering higher education and migration policies. The full research can be accessed via UK in a Changing Europe, The Guardian, and the Education Committee Inquiry (see links below). Links: https://ukandeu.ac.uk/the-unexplored-impacts-of-international-students/; https://ukandeu.ac.uk/attracting-entrepreneurial-scientists-should-the-uk-be-more-like-the-us/; Peer pressures - Research Professional News; https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/feb/29/the-value-of-studying-alongside-international-students; committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/130502/pdf/. 2. Graduate Student Performance and Widening Participation Our research on the factors influencing student performance and retention has played a key role in shaping discussions around socio-economic and ethnic disparities in higher education outcomes. This work has been particularly influential among university widening participation officers and policymakers, leading to engagements with the National Education Opportunities Network (NEON) and other sector bodies. Findings were presented at a dissemination event in November 2017 and a policy-focused interactive workshop at the NEON Summer Symposium in 2018, attended by representatives from the Department for Education, Access Platform, Brightside, Study Higher, and other widening participation organizations. These discussions contributed to universities reassessing their support measures for students from non-traditional and disadvantaged backgrounds. The findings also sparked further engagement with the University College Union (UCU), leading to a policy-focused podcast discussion on fairer admissions practices. More details on this research can be found in the MiSoC Explainer on student retention and performance (https://www.iser.essex.ac.uk/files/misoc/reports/explainers/ethnic-SES-dropout.pdf) 3. Unpaid Internships and Socio-Economic Barriers to Careers The debate over unpaid internships as a barrier to social mobility has been significantly influenced by our research, which has provided critical insights into how unpaid work perpetuates inequality in access to professional careers. This work has had both academic and policy influence, with findings being featured in Science and American Scientist, ensuring visibility among researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders. The study was also cited in House of Lords debates on the Unpaid Work Experience (Prohibition) Bill, directly contributing to legislative discussions on the regulation of unpaid work. Additionally, the research informed a 2022 submission to the Science & Technology Committee's "Diversity in STEM" Inquiry, influencing conversations around equal access to scientific and professional careers. These findings have helped shape ongoing policy discussions on the necessity of reforming unpaid work practices, particularly in sectors where unpaid internships remain a gateway to employment. 4. Higher Education Finance Reform Our work on student preferences regarding tuition fees, loans, and grants has highlighted serious gaps in student understanding of loan repayment structures and potential policy alternatives that could improve equity and efficiency in higher education finance. The research demonstrated that many students are uncertain about how loan repayment thresholds and interest rates affect their financial futures, while also revealing that a fixed-period repayment model could be both popular and fiscally viable. This work gained traction in political and academic circles, with Gordon Marsden MP (Shadow Higher Education Minister) referencing our findings in parliamentary debate as a "medium-term option" for student finance reform. The research was also cited in Times Higher Education by the Vice-Chancellor of Essex, advocating for a fairer funding system. Public engagement was expanded through a widely read article in The Conversation, which explained our findings to a broader audience beyond policymakers and academics. These discussions culminated in our collaboration with NEON on the "Future of Student Outcomes" report (2020), which synthesized evidence on student finance, attainment gaps, and career trajectories. The research is publicly available via a MiSoC's Explainer on student fees and preferences, The Conversation, and the NEON Report. See links below: https://www.iser.essex.ac.uk/files/misoc/reports/explainers/student-fees-preferences-report.pdf; https://www.educationopportunities.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/NEON-The-Future-of-Student-Outcomes.pdf; https://theconversation.com/student-loans-would-a-graduate-tax-be-a-better-option-179253 5. Alternative University Admission Pathways (UK and Australia) Expanding beyond the UK, our research has also influenced discussions on alternative university admissions models, including contextualized admissions policies that aim to improve access for disadvantaged students. In the UK, our analysis of contextualized admissions was showcased at the MiSoC and NEON policy event in 2021, fostering engagement with university policymakers and access officers. In Australia, team member Adeline Delavande has played a key role in evaluating the U@Uni Academy, a two-year program designed to expand access to higher education for students from low-income backgrounds. The initiative provides an alternative entry route to university, allowing students who complete the program to secure university admission regardless of their high school examination scores. Our team is currently tracking student outcomes from this initiative to provide data-driven insights on its effectiveness, with the findings set to contribute to policy discussions on higher education access in Australia and beyond. Conclusion The impact of this project extends beyond academic contributions to policy reform, university practice, and public discourse. By engaging with government inquiries, policymakers, media, and advocacy groups, this work has shaped discussions on student finance, social mobility, and widening participation in higher education. Future work will continue to inform evidence-based policymaking and institutional strategies for improving educational equity and graduate outcomes. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Education,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal Economic Policy & public services |
| Description | Citation in House of Lords debate (Holford) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2017-10-27/debates/1CC18AF0-4140-46EC-A435-2C1EBED9E707/UnpaidWo... |
| Description | Evidence on International Students published by Education Committee Inquiry (Holford) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8409/international-students-in-english-universities/publicatio... |
| Description | Note on implications of Augar Review recommendations for University of Essex Council |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Description | Providing material to Outreach Officer from the University of Hertfordshire to share with parents of prospective university applicants |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Description | Setting an evidence-based target for recruitment of students from low-participation neighbourhoods, for University of Essex Access Agreement |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Description | The Research Centre on Micro-Social Change (MiSoC) |
| Amount | £6,114,094 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ES/S012486/1 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2019 |
| End | 09/2024 |
| Description | University Technology Sydney Strategic Funding |
| Amount | $256,320 (AUD) |
| Organisation | University of Technology Sydney |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | Australia |
| Start | 01/2022 |
| End | 12/2022 |
| Description | University of Essex Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research Strategic Fund |
| Amount | £15,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Essex |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2018 |
| End | 03/2018 |
| Description | University of Essex Vice-Chancellor's Strategic Fund - Evidence on students' preferences for the Augar Review of Post-18 Education and Funding |
| Amount | £13,520 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Essex |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2018 |
| End | 11/2018 |
| Description | University of St Andrews Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Fund - 'Who takes unpaid internships in science?' |
| Amount | £1,160 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of St Andrews |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2017 |
| End | 11/2017 |
| Title | BOOST2018 Study |
| Description | The BOOST2018 Study is a longitudinal survey of undergraduate students who enrolled at one UK university in the academic year 2015/16, and (for the vast majority) completed their degree in 2017/18. Each year students were invited to reply to three on-line surveys, one for each term, and to attend one laboratory session. The on-line surveys were variable in length but generally took about one hour with the exception of the Summer term surveys (waves 4, 8 and 12), which were shorter to allow for the fact that students take their exams at the end of the year. Participation in the surveys was incentivised using monetary rewards - between £8 and £20 for on-line surveys and on average £30 for the laboratory sessions. The on-line surveys were designed to collect information on students' academic investments (hours of study), non-academic investments (working for pay, participation in volunteering groups, etc.), their expectations about future academic achievement and labour market outcomes (earnings, probability of employment) as well as, at wave 9, non-pecuniary future job attributes. The survey data was linked to administrative records held by the university. Specifically, we use here information on the student demographics (gender and age), socio-economic status as measured by parental occupation and the university participation rate in their neighbourhood of domicile, and marks. Ethnicity is self-identified at the time of enrolment at the university. We also obtained access to their timetable of scheduled lectures and classes and weekly records of attendance - administered through a swipe-card electronic system - to derive measures of attendance that are not affected by self-reporting. The sampling frame comprised all undergraduate students enrolling in the first year of an undergraduate (Bachelor's) course in October 2015. The target population consisted of 2,621 students. In order to participate in the study, each student was required to sign a consent form. All students who enrolled in the study received £5 as an incentive. By the end of the Autumn term of the academic year 2015/16, when the participation register was closed, 1,978 students had given their consent (about 75% of the target sample). Enrolment re-opened to eligible students at the beginning of the second and third years, resulting in a small number of additional participants (n=19). Because of the presence of monetary incentives and the advertising campaigns aimed at keeping the study salient to the population, participation to the surveys was consistently high. Between 774 and 1,276 students took part in the surveys at different points in time, with higher response rates for the main on-line waves (between 55% and 68%), and lower rates for the laboratory sessions (between 45% and 59%) and Summer term surveys (between 52% and 56%) (see Appendix Table A1). |
| Type Of Material | Data analysis technique |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This dataset has been used to conduct several analysis to better understand the socio-economic differences in higher education outcomes, as well as the factors that lead to success at university (see section on Key Findings). We are currently working on creating a version of the data which is fully anonymised and will make it accessible to other researchers through the Data Archive. |
| URL | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C4TL7iB5lFPEhrUOwRZDteNphNzJ2Me7/view |
| Title | BOOST2018: The groundbreaking study of student life, 2015-2020 |
| Description | Anonymised survey and linked administrative data from the BOOST2018 project, funded through ES/M008622/1. 13 waves of survey data on undergraduate student time use, expectations, and sources of information, with longitudinal identifiers to follow students over time. This is linked to administrative data on academic performance, attendance at lectures and classes and participation in extra-curricular activities. The data was accepted into the 'core collection' of the UK Data Service in July 2020. This was embargoed until January 2022, then made available to other researchers under "Secure Access" conditions. An additional survey was conducted in June 2020, funded through ES/S012486/1. This 'BOOST Life After University' survey was sent to the original BOOST2018 participants, either one or two years after graduation, and documents their labour market outcomes since graduation, and COVID-19-related outcomes and expectations in the first UK lockdown. The data were deposited with the UK Data Service in February 2022 and will be available to researchers after the Data Service's curation process is complete. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Article in Journal of Econometrics on participation in extra-curricular activities: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeconom.2020.03.019 Explainer and report on student preferences over fees, grants and loans: https://tinyurl.com/yaaor38p; https://tinyurl.com/y4h9xojv Several further articles in preparation. |
| URL | https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=8877 |
| Description | Knowledge Exchange Programme with the Higher Education Statistical Agency |
| Organisation | Higher Education Statistical Agency |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | A knowledge exchange has been set up between MiSoC researchers and the HESA Analytical team. The purpose of the project is to analyse data on several cohorts of Higher Education students and document the existence and the evolution of a gap in performance according to protected characteristics such as gender, ethnicity and social background. Performance will be measured by progression and final degree outcome taking into account (i) dropout, (ii) change of course/subject area, and (iii) change of institution. The analysis will also try to explain the factors contributing to the existence of these performance gaps, including student characteristics and institutional characteristics (i.e. student/staff ratios, composition of staff by gender, ethnicity, etc.). The MiSoC team will take the lead in defining the main research questions and applying the most up-to-date empirical methods to the empirical analysis. Specifically, we will be able to show how longitudinal methods and statistical decomposition techniques can greatly enhance the understanding of the issues at hand. |
| Collaborator Contribution | In order to obtain evidence on student progression, it will be necessary to construct a unique student identifier which would allow the researchers to follow students over time, even when they change subject or institution. At the moment, such identifier is not available directly from the HESA student records. The HESA analytical team will assist with the construction of such an identifier. To understand the institutional factors contributing to the performance gap it will be necessary to match the HESA student records with data on staff characteristics. The staff records are held at the level of the academic HESA cost centre but a student can be assigned to multiple cost centres depending on the combination of subject studied. The HESA analytical team will assist attributing students to a single cost centre or a number of cost centres in relation to the combination of subjects studied. |
| Impact | The work has only just started and it is expected to generate new output by the end of 2017. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Leeds |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Department | School of Business |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Professors Delavande and Del Bono have undertaken joint research with Professor Wandi Bruine de Bruin, Co-director of the Centre for Decision Research at the University of Leeds. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Professors Delavande and Del Bono have undertaken joint research with Professor Wandi Bruine de Bruin, Co-director of the Centre for Decision Research at the University of Leeds. |
| Impact | This collaboration has led to the design of new behavioural interventions to improve educational outcomes, to the creation of new datasets and to the organisation of one conferences on expectations in Economics and Psychology in 2014. |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Who takes Unpaid Internships in Science? (Holford) |
| Organisation | University of St Andrews |
| Department | School of Economics and Finance |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Access to the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education Survey (DLHE), and pre-existing work to build on, on both managing this data and writing about the topic of unpaid graduate internships. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Connections to and initial contact with the two co-authors who have written on the topic of unpaid internships specifically from a science perspective, to whose work the DLHE data can add a significant weight. Financial support to organize and pay travel to a workshop of co-authors in St Andrews (enabling us to work otgether in the same room). |
| Impact | The project is multi-disciplinary, between Economics (Holford and Leighton) and Science (Fournier and Bond, both Wildlife Ecologists by training and occupation). We held a Knowledge Exchange workshop at the University of St Andrews in July 2017, and are writing a research paper which uses a social science dataset but which will be written for a science audience. We intend to submit this the journal 'Science' in January 2018. Completed in 2019 with publication in PLOS ONE "Unpaid work and access to science professions" and associated articles in Science and American Scientist, generating discussion in the physical sciences professional community about the use of unpaid work in research projects.. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | ADR UK research fellowships 2022 - Grant Panel member |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Professor Emilia Del Bono was invited to take part in the Grant Panel to assess the ADR UK research fellowships 2022. This activity requires reading and providing reports on a number of applications as well as participating in meetings to discuss a final grade for each application. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| Description | Article on Unpaid Work and Access to Science Professions in American Scientist - Holford |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A magazine article in American Scientist based on the findings of PLoS ONE co-authored paper "Unpaid Work and Access to Science Professions". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.americanscientist.org/article/a-bad-deal-for-early-career-researchers |
| Description | BGSE Presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Skills Accumulation with Malleable Ability: Evidence from a Growth Mindset Intervention" at Barcelona Graduate School of Economics in Barcelona, Spain, July 2019, gaining feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | BLOG (19th October 2020): Labour market scarring on young people - video blog for the ESRC Economics Observatory (Emilia Del Bono) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | BLOG (19th October 2020): Labour market scarring on young people - video blog for the ESRC Economics Observatory (Emilia Del Bono |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU8qhRuPErU&feature=youtu.be |
| Description | BOOST2018 Early Finding |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We have presented the first findings from the data collection undertaken at the University of Essex (known as BOOST 2018) to officials of the University of Essex, including Undergraduate Directors, pro-VC for Education and Research, Student Union representatives |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Blog Post for Guardian Higher Education Network: Closing the BTEC gap at university (Holford - 29/11/2017) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Timed to coincide with MiSoC policy event on 'Universities in the UK' on 29th November 2017, I wrote an article about how students arriving with BTECs do worse at university, and how to reduce this gap. Several very constructive comments online help inform a future research agenda on this topic e.g. this is part of bigger. Others in person and online express thanks for bringing topic into public domain, and note that they have not seen data on this before. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2017/nov/29/students-with-btecs-do-worse-at-uni... |
| Description | Blog for UK in a Changing Europe on international students (Holford) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Following a pitch to Jonathan Portes, who authored this piece in the Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/31/international-students-uk-universities-money-cuts to write a piece for the Conversation instead, Prof.Portes invited us to write a blog for the UK In a Changing Europe website. This is around the discourse on international students crowding out space for British students at British universities; our evidence fills in the gaps about their impact on students already at university. Readers reported this telling them facts they had not considered, or had not known. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://ukandeu.ac.uk/the-unexplored-impacts-of-international-students/ |
| Description | Bristol seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Academic seminar. Presentation of "Academic and non-Academic investments at university: The role of expectations and preferences" at the economics seminar series at the University of Bristol. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Campaign for Social Science Strategic Leadership Forum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Campaign for Social Science Strategic Leadership Forum - invited talk about Graduate Employability |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Dondena Research Centre, Bocconi University, Milan, February 2019, Emilia Del Bono (presenter) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Seminar presentation on the paper entitled "Skill accumulation with malleable ability: a Growth Mindset Intervention", joint with Adeline Delavande, Angus Holford and Sonkurt Sen, based on data from BOOST2018. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | EALE Conference 2016 (Holford) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Access to and Returns from Unpaid Graduate Internships" at the European Association of Labour Economists' annual conference, Ghent, September 2016. I gained feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. This presentation also led directly to collaboration with Dr Margaret Leighton at the University of St Andrews, on follow-up work about access to science professions, with associated further funding and knowledge exchange activities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | EALE Conference 2017 (Holford) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Estimating the production function of graduate skills" at the European Association of Labour Economists' annual conference, St Gallen, September 2017, gaining feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | EEA-ESEM 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Skills Accumulation with Malleable Ability: Evidence from a Growth Mindset Intervention" at the European Economic Association - Econometric Society annual conference in Manchester UK, August 2019, gaining feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://editorialexpress.com/conference/EEAESEM2019/program/EEAESEM2019 |
| Description | ESA 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Skills Accumulation with Malleable Ability: Evidence from a Growth Mindset Intervention" at the Economic Science Association's European Meeting in Dijon France, September 2019, gaining feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://lessac.bsb-education.com/index.php?page=european-esa-meeting-dijon-sept-2019 |
| Description | ESEM |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of the paper "Estimating the production function of Graduate skills at university" at 2017 European Meetings of the Econometrics Society in Lisbon, Portugal, which generated lots of discussions afterwards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | ESPE 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Skills Accumulation with Malleable Ability: Evidence from a Growth Mindset Intervention" at the European Society fo Population Economics annual conference in Bath UK, June 2019, gaining feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://espe2019bath.com |
| Description | ESPE conference (Holford) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | European Society of Population Economists' annual conference, Bath, June 2019 - presentation of 'Student Preferences over Fees, Loans, and Grants' - gained feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | EUI visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of results on "Estimating the production function of Graduate skills at university" at the econometrics seminar series at the European University Institute, Italy |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | EasternArc Experimental Social Sciences Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Skills Accumulation with Malleable Ability: Evidence from a Growth Mindset Intervention" at the EasternArc Experimental Social Sciences Workshop in Colchester UK, August 2019, gaining feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Equality Challenge Unit Scottish Higher Education Conference (Holford - 26/04/2016) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presented to an audience of Higher Education 'Widening Participation' administrators about socio-economic gaps in first destinations after university, with the key message that the quality of the initial job match, rather than the speed with which the job is found, determining graduates' long-run outcomes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.ecu.ac.uk/news/conference-summary-and-papers-progressing-equality-and-diversity-in-scotti... |
| Description | Federal Reserve Bank of New York presentation - (Holford - 27/04/2017) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Gave talk on effects of study methods and attendance to lectures and classes at university, to education group at Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Research and Statistics Division, 27th April 2017. Plans made in subsequent meetings for how to design future of a longitudinal survey to help inform policymakers about labour market implications of different teaching practices, and other support, at universities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | For Some Luck Matters More |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This talk discussed the impact of the Great Recession on Early Careers of Graduates from Different Socio-Economic Backgrounds. This was an academic presentation and its main aim was to share information about our study with fellow researchers. The talk generated interesting feedback. The talk was given at the ESRC seminar series on Social Mobility in Bath, April 27th 2015 n/a |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Guardian article "Male UK university students are 'less macho' when sharing flats with women" (Holford, Del Bono, Delavande) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview with Guardian/Observer journalist Zainab Haji, leading to article in Observer, Sunday 18th August, 2024, based on research showing that male university students' competitiveness declines when assigned to more female flatmates in mixed-sex university accommodation. This pitch was timed to coincide with Clearing and with university accommodation assignment for 2024/25 academic year. I responded to follow-up emails from members of the public about what the reearch means for them and their children. The article was briefly reported on, on Radio 4's Today Programme's review of the Sunday newspapers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/education/article/2024/aug/18/male-uk-university-students-are-less-macho... |
| Description | IZA workshop on Behavioural Economics of Education (Holford) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | IZA Institute of Labour Economics held a specialized workshop on Behavioural Economics of Education in Bonn, April 2019. Presentation of 'Skill Accumulation with Malleable Ability' gained feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Interactive session at NEON conference - (Holford - 21/06/2018) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The NEON summer symposium brings together mainly university Widening Participation practictioners to share best practice for improving access to and outcomes after university of under-represented groups. The shadow Universities Minister cited this workshop in his keynote speech at the conference, as addressing the important missing link that universities and schools need to address: retention and performance while at university. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://tinyurl.com/y7cd6tyf |
| Description | Interview on Unpaid Internships on BBC Radio London (Holford - 30/07/2017) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Short discussion with BBC researcher on 30th July 2017, in preparation for early morning radio interview with Petrie Hosken on BBC Radio London, on 31st July. Main focus of discussion was on the differences between privately schooled and non-privately schooled graduates' returns to taking an unpaid internship. Scroll to 2:19:45 for 5 minute segment: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0588dly#play |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0588dly#play |
| Description | Interview on Unpaid Internships on CBC On the Money (Canadian television business show) (Holford 03/08/2017) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Recorded interview over skype with Peter Armstrong, host of 'On the Money' a business show on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation television, on 1st August 2017, broadcast on 2nd August, with main takeaway message about the importance of transparent recruitment for unpaid interns, to prevent business leaders missing out on talent from lower socio-economic backgrounds. About the show here: http://www.cbc.ca/mediacentre/program/on-the-money Page of current similar videos: http://www.cbc.ca/player/news/TV%20Shows/On%20The%20Money Link to my video: http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1015921220002 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1015921220002 |
| Description | Interview on Unpaid Internships on LBC Radio (Holford - 30/07/2017) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Radio interview on 30th July 2017, with Ian Payne on LBC Radio, based on working paper on Access to and Returns from Unpaid Graduate Internships. Main focus of discussion on the risk that graduates are taking by working unpaid, and low likelihood of it paying off. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://lbc.audioagain.com/presenters/17-ian-payne |
| Description | Knowledge Exchange - HESA |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with Higher Education Statistics Agency to improve our understanding of their Student Records dataset structure and methodologies, and their understanding of how the data will be used, especially for causal analysis and longitudinal questions, in economic and social research. Applications for data access agreed in good understanding of all the variables, and the most sensible scope and structure for delivery. HESA practitioners to visit ISER to gain futher exposure to the types of research done using their data and social scientists more broadly. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Knowledge Exchange with Wildlife Ecologists (Holford 4-7/7/2017) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Two day working group at University of St Andrews, with one other economist and two wildlife ecologists, one working outside academia, to discuss work on the extent to which unpaid internships represent a barrier to access professions in their industry, and sciences more generally. We outlined a draft of our paper and the tables to feature in it, using the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey, and divided the future tasks to complete a submittable paper. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Lancaster University, Department of Economics, Lancaster, November 2018, Emilia Del Bono (presenter) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Seminar presentation at Lancaster University on the paper "Student preferences over fees, grants and loans" based on data on BOOST2018. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Letter in the Guardian - value of studying alongside International Students (Holford, Morando) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | In response to media stories on international students reducing opportunities for British students or being essential for universities' finances, we wrote to the Guardian citing our work on the impacts international students have on British students they study alongside. (Published in evening of 29th Feb, will update this record in light of further enquiries.). The letter was covered in the Research Professional News round up of media stories the enxt day |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/feb/29/the-value-of-studying-alongside-international-stud... |
| Description | Meeting with Fran Abrams from Education Media Centre, cited in Guardian HE Network article (Holford - 28/09/2017)) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with ISER's Louise Cullen, and Fran Abrams from the Education Media Centre, on 29th September 2017, to talk about upcoming research output from ISER that would be of interest to the media and general public. The piece on gaps in degree performance and dropout by ethnicity and gender (presented at the MiSoC conference on Higher Education in Westminster) was cited and slides published on Abrams' article for the Guardian HE Network "All the facts you need to answer tricky questions about higher education" on 17th Jan 2018. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2018/jan/17/university-education-the-research-y... |
| Description | Meeting with Rachel Hall, Editor of Guardian HE Network - (Holford - 13/11/2017) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Monday 13th November - Meeting and lunch with Rachel Hall, the editor of the Guardian Higher Education Network, an online-only section of the newspaper for Higher Education (academic and non-academic) staff and students. Explained about several research projects on Higher Education here at Essex, and agreed to write a blog post/article for the HE Network, on the specific topic of how BTEC holders fare once at university. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | New Statesman blog post on students' preferences on tuition fees/loans/grants (Holford - 20/09/2018) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | 600 word blog post on students' preferences over university tuition fees, grants and loans, with policy proposal resulting from research on this topic. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://newstatesman.com/politics/education/2018/09/when-it-comes-fees-what-do-students-think |
| Description | Observer article on unpaid graduate internships (Holford - 30/07/2017) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Sent non-technical summary of ISER working paper on Access to and Returns from Unpaid Graduate Internships to the Observer, and undertook phone interview with journalist who wrote up the story which appeared in the print edition. This short article appeared on the front page of the print edition on 30th July 2017: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/jul/29/unpaid-intern-damage-graduate-career-pay And this longer one inside (page 6) https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/jul/29/internships-can-damage-career-prospects |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/jul/29/internships-can-damage-career-prospects |
| Description | Parliamentary Round Table on Universities in the 4th Industrial Revolution (Holford - 21/01/2019) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | A Round Table event at Portcullis House (House of Commons offices) with Ben Bradley MP (Education Select Committee), Lord Willetts (former Secretary of State for Education), and representatives of businesses (e.g. Microsoft, Deloitte), thinktanks (e.g. Social Market Foundation, National Education Opportunities Network) and universities, about how the Higher Education system and universities should adapt to the "Fourth Industrial Revolution" i.e. mechanisation and automation. My contribution was about the funding system, in particular how to avoid deterring people from entering STEM degrees, and enabling those whose jobs are under threat to retrain. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Podcast recording with UCU Policy Officer Angela Nartey |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Podcast on the results of my research based on "SES-Based Affirmative Action and Academic and Labor Market Outcomes" which is the second chapter of my PhD thesis. The podcast was recorded in February but has not been published yet. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Presentation at "what works in education?" University of New South Wales, Aug 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presented the paper "Skill accumulation with malleable ability: Evidence from a Randomized Information Intervention" to other academics, PhD students and practitioners in Higher Education |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.stepup.unsw.edu.au/events/stepup-conference-2019 |
| Description | Presentation at Asian & Australasian Society of Labour Economics, Singapore, Dec 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presented the paper "Skill accumulation with malleable ability: Evidence from a Randomized Information Intervention" to other academics and PhD students |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.aasle.org/conference2019 |
| Description | Presentation at the Sydney Applied Micro workshop (University of New South Wales, Australia), Dec 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presented the paper "Academic and non-Academic Investments at University: the Role of Expectations, Preferences and Constraints" to other academics and PhD students |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | SOLE Conference (Holford) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Estimating the production function of graduate skills" at the Society of Labour Economists' annual meeting in Raleigh, NC, May 2017, gaining feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. This presentation (and seeing presentation of related paper in same session) led directly to Kevin Williams joining the research team to work on 'optimal class scheduling'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Seminar University College London, London, November 2018, Emilia Del Bono (presenter) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Seminar presentation at the Department of Quantitative Social Sciences, UCL, University of London on the paper "Student preferences over fees, grants and loans" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Seminar at Duke University (Holford) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Estimating the Production Function of Graduate Skills" at the Duke University 'Labor Lunch' seminar series, April 2017, gaining feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Seminar at University of North Carolina at Greensboro (Holford) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Informal seminar by invitation at the Bryan Business School, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, April 2017. Presentation of "Estimating the Production Function of Graduate Skills" gaining feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Seminar at the University of Queensland (Holford) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Subjective Returns to Academic and Non-Academic Investments" at the University of Queensland microeconomics seminar series, April 2018, gaining feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Seminar at the University of Rotterdam |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Academic seminar. Presentation of "Academic and non-Academic investments at university: The role of expectations and preferences" at the economics seminar series at the University of Rotterdam. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Seminar at the University of Sydney (Holford) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Subjective Returns to Academic and Non-Academic Investments" at the University of Sydney Department of Economics microeconomics seminar series, April 2018, gaining feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Seminar presentation - Tiomkin School of Economics, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Israel |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Academic and non-Academic investments at university: The role of expectations and preferences" at the economics seminar series of Tiomkin School of Economics, IDC, Israel |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Session on Higher Education at Labour Conference Fringe - (Holford 24/09/2018) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Panel discussion with Gordon Marsden MP (Shadow Minister for Universities and Skills), Amatey Doku (VP NUS), Sally Hunt (Gen' Sec' UCU) and Graeme Atherton (President, National Education Opportunities Network), at 'New Statesman' magazine's hub at the Labour Conference fringe in Liverpool, on "making the case for higher education". I made three minute opening and one minute closing speech on how, based on my research, I would make the case by reforming the funding system for Higher Education to make it more popular but no more costly to the taxpayer. Mr Marsden acknowledged this as a "medium term solution", which is being followed up. During panel discussion I also communicated research on ethnic and SES outcome gaps at universities, primarily showing the problem isn't access but performance after access. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.newstatesman.com/2018/07/open-all-making-case-higher-education |
| Description | Student Loans and Graduate Taxes article for The Conversation (Holford) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Article for The Conversation "Student loans: would a graduate tax be a better option?", based on ISER report 'Student preferences over Fees, Grants and Loans' but coinciding with UK government announcement of changes to the system of student loans in England, which will increase the amount of repayments collected from future graduates. The article received 34 comments engaging with the debate about how the system could better be reformed (or for those agreeing with my proposals, renamed!) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://theconversation.com/student-loans-would-a-graduate-tax-be-a-better-option-179253 |
| Description | Sunday Reading email and blog post on international students for HE Professional (Holford) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 'Sunday Reading' is a weekly blog post sent by email from HE Professional to subscribers, predominantly professional practitioners in this case meaning university leadership teams and Higher Education staff. The post, based on research about the impacts of international students on domestic students' outcomes, is intended to provide evidence that universities can use to refutre complaints about over-reliance on international students in UK Higher Education. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-views-of-the-uk-2024-march-peer-pressures/ |
| Description | Tackling socio-economic inequalities in Higher Education - ISER 30th Anniversary |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | We celebrated ISER's 30th anniversary with a special conference on Innovations in Examining Inequalities in Society at the British Academy in London on 9th December 2019. The audience consisted of a group of academics, policy makers and representatives from third sector organizations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.iser.essex.ac.uk/files/conferences/ISER30th/ISER%2030%20%20work%20Anniversary%20Conferen... |
| Description | Tilburg seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Academic seminar. Presentation of "Academic and non-Academic investments at university: The role of expectations and preferences" at the economics seminar series at the University of Tilburg, Netherlands. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Trajectories of academic performance in UK Higher Education |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We have presented evidence on trajectories of academic performance in UK Higher Education to practitioners/policy makers/third sector organisation related to Higher Education. Richard Smith (Senior Higher Education Policy Adviser, HEFCE) was the discussant. The audience included representatives from DfE, NCUB, HEFCE. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | ULC talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of the paper "Estimating the production function of Graduate skills at university" at the Applied economics seminar series of UCL which generates lots of discussion afterwards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Universities in the UK: who applies, who stays, who succeeds - what makes a difference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The event was entitled "Universities in the UK: who applies, who stays, who succeeds - what makes a difference". and was targeted a higher education practitioners. A briefing note was distributed. The audience of 40+ people included staff from widening participations/access office from various universities, from the Department for Education, and from associations such as the Access Platform, Brightside, Study Higher, Realising Opportunities, Higher Education Access Tracker. The ISER communication team is working closely with the Education Media Centre to release the research gradually over the coming months. Some presentations have achieved two high profile reports in the Guardian. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/universities-in-the-uk-who-applies-who-stays-who-achieves-what-makes-... |
| Description | Workshop Presentation - Workshop in Higher Education, University of Essex, June 13-14 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Academic and non-Academic investments at university: The role of expectations and preferences" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Workshop on Expectations and Economics of Education held at Royal Holloway - Sept 7 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Workshop Presentation of "Academic and non-Academic investments at university: The role of expectations and preferences" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Workshop on Subjective Expectations - Cesifo, Munich - 22-23 June 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Academic and non-Academic investments at university: The role of expectations and preferences" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Young Economists Meeting 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of "Skills Accumulation with Malleable Ability: Evidence from a Growth Mindset Intervention" at the Young Economists Meeting in Brno, Czech Republic, June 2019, gaining feedback and follow-up conversations with academics outside of usual academic peer-group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://yem2019.econ.muni.cz |
| Description | Zurich University, Department of Economics, Zurich, February 2019, Emilia Del Bono (presenter) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Seminar presentation on the paper entitled "Skill accumulation with malleable ability: a Growth Mindset Intervention", joint with Adeline Delavande, Angus Holford and Sonkurt Sen, based on data from BOOST2018. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |