Image description: Welcome dinner at Exeter College
Successful outreach programmes yield an increase in students admitted from BAME backgrounds.
Oxford University has announced that more than 22 percent of students admitted in 2019 were from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, up from 18 percent in 2018. Overall, the proportion of black British students rose from 2.6 to 3.1 percent between 2018 and 2019.
The announcement follows the University’s unveiling of the Oxford–Arlan Hamilton and Earline Butler Sims Scholarship, its first dedicated, fully-funded scholarship at undergraduate level for black British students from disadvantaged backgrounds, provided by the international tech entrepreneur Arlan Hamilton.
In May, two new initiatives – Opportunity Oxford and Foundation Oxford – were announced, alongside an increase in the number of students from under-represented backgrounds choosing the University.
Professor Martin Williams, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education, said: “It has been a busy 12 months at Oxford, and I am thrilled to share that our efforts to widen access and build a University environment where talented students from every background and region, are welcome and would want to be here, are moving in the right direction. These developments are testament to the individuals working towards and driving our access agenda day to day.”
In addition to measures which promote diversity among the undergraduate intake, the University has announced that it will be giving attention to other measures to make the University more inclusive, such as the content of curriculums and provision for students who have been through the care system.
Professor Williams added: “All students need to feel and trust that Oxford is somewhere they feel welcome, valued and respected, and that their wellbeing matters to the University. I am proud to be a part of this exceptional University community, and over the next 12 months I look forward to sharing more about our work to take Oxford University to the next level.”
