Oxford University: Spot the Black student

One of the most prestigious universities in the world, Oxford is still failing to admit Black students in any meaningful numbers. According to their own data, several of the most prestigious colleges, including Balliol, University and Magdalen, each admitted two black British students as undergraduates during the three-year period. The worst Corpus Christi College only admitted one Black British student in three years.

Blasting the findings David Lammy MP stated that:

The university is clearly happy to see Oxford remain an institution defined by entrenched privilege that is the preserve of wealthy white students from London and the south-east,”

Samina Khan, the university’s head of admissions and outreach, is often wheeled out to defend the indefensible, seems to blame everyone else rather than her own university and itss associate colleges. She stated:

Oxford faced particular challenges in convincing students from minority backgrounds to widen their aim away from law and medicine, where the majority of black British applicants applied, to pursue less competitive subjects. It’s less of a challenge in terms of the students, because the students want to do English literature or want to do theology and religion. It’s usually the parents or the community that say: ‘what job are you going to get after that?"

Which is essentially saying, ‘if you’re Black don’t apply for a competitive degree, because you won’t succeed. If, however, you lower you sights, you might have chance’.

Whilst Oxford is clearly the worst excluder of Black students, particularly British-born, most top universities have lamentable records for taking on Black students.

Our work the Race Disparity Audit, Advisory Group sees this area to confront and make progress as a key priority.

Watch this space.

Simon Woolley