“Academic Racism” at Oxbridge universities?

An (Ox)bridge too far?

Black students have the lowest acceptance rate for Oxbridge universities, according to official application figures, leading to accusations of “academic racism”. Only 14.9% of applications from Black students were accepted by the University of Cambridge in 2010-2011 compared to a 60.9 % success rate nationally. Oxford’s admission rates of black students were also significantly lower that the national average, with 13.4% of black candidates being successful. The figures were obtained by the Guardian last month under the Freedom of Information Act. The Guardian alleges that the figures show ‘white’ students with the same grades as BME students, are twice more likely to be accepted onto a course.

Race and Oxbridge universities is not a new issue. In 2010, MP David Lammy obtained data that showed Oxford University admitted only one British Black Caribbean undergraduate student in 2009.

Accusations of racism have been met with strong reaction by the two universities, who deny discriminating against black candidates.

A spokesman for Cambridge University said:

Admissions decisions are based on students’ ability, commitment and potential to achieve. The data [provided to the Guardian following an FOI request] relates to all students obtaining AAA or better, and thus does not take into account our actual entry requirements, the subject mix offered by applicants, or the distribution of applications across subjects, all of which affect success rates".

He added:

Our commitment to improving access to the University is longstanding and unwavering…We aim to ensure that anyone with the ability, passion and commitment to apply to Cambridge receives all the support necessary for them to best demonstrate their potential.”

However, it is not only student admission which has led to accusations of ‘academic racism’. At the end of last year, a petition was set up calling on Oxford and Cambridge to admit more black academics and professors. Campaign volunteer and Oxbridge alumnus Charlotte Goldenberg said:

The campaign was started by a group of current scholars, alumni, and academics from all racial backgrounds. These people love and cherish Oxford and Cambridge and want to see them change in the right direction on equal job opportunities for black and minority ethnic academics.”

The petitioners argue that the universities exercise racial preference, when selecting academics to teach and research at the university. The establishment is white and they prefer candidates, who ‘fit’ the background of the old establishment. They also argue that there is no shortage of black PHD students, but there is a shortage of black academic staff.

Due to a lack of opportunities, many black academics choose to move abroad to pursue an academic career, which means that the net result is that Britain loses out on highly skilled and intellectually creative black graduates. The petition has been supported by a wide range of academics, professors, artists, filmmakers and the Russell group of universities.

This issue raises serious questions about the future of Britain’s leading academic institutions. It is no secret that many of Britain’s Prime Ministers attended Oxbridge. These two universities are essentially king-makers for the country, as well as, other countries. Therefore the lack of Black students and academic staff in such a pivotal institution has negative effects on the power of BME communities and equally is a loss to the country in terms of a rich pool of talent.

Usman Butt