Appendix Two

Student cohort by ethnicity 2008/09

The ethnicity breakdown of the student body is outlined below by headcount figures:

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate students / AHome Students / B Overseas Students / A + B Total Percentage / HESA national figures 2007/08
Ethnicity / %[1] / %[2]
White[3] / 3637 / 574 / 36% / 78%
Asian or Asian British-Bangladeshi / 727 / 71 / 7% / 1%
Asian or Asian British-Indian / 1450 / 94 / 13% / 3%
Asian or Asian British-Pakistani / 934 / 108 / 9% / 2%
Other Asian background / 787 / 412 / 10% / 1%
Chinese or Other Ethnic background Chinese / 255 / 353 / 5% / 1%
Black or Black British-African / 611 / 97 / 6% / 4%
Black or Black British-Caribbean / 158 / 10 / 1% / 2%
Other Black background / 48 / 50 / 1% / 0%
Other ethnic background (including mixed race)[4] / 833 / 142 / 8% / 3%
Information refused / 179 / 66 / 2% / 6%
Total / 9619 / 1977 / 98% / 101%

Postgraduate Students[5]

Postgraduate students / A) Home Students / B) Overseas Students / A + B Total Percentage / HESA national figures 2007/08
Ethnicity / %[6] / %
White / 1713 / 334 / 43% / 78%
Asian or Asian British-Bangladeshi / 35 / 83 / 2% / 1%
Asian or Asian British-Indian / 162 / 174 / 7% / 3%
Asian or Asian British-Pakistani / 65 / 298 / 8% / 2%
Other Asian background / 111 / 325 / 9% / 1%
Chinese or Other Ethnic background Chinese / 46 / 422 / 10% / 1%
Black or Black British-African / 111 / 95 / 4% / 3%
Black or Black British-Caribbean / 34 / 14 / 1% / 1%
Other Black background / 10 / 44 / 1% / 0%
Other ethnic background (including mixed race)[7] / 111 / 175 / 6% / 3%
Information refused / 336 / 71 / 9% / 7%
Total / 2734 / 2035 / 100% / 100%

The College has a diverse mix of students studying at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Compared to the previous academic year, there has been a dramatic decrease in overseas Chinese undergraduate student (diminution of 68%). This is partly be due to a change in the methodology of information gathering by not including student at the Beijing campus.

Queen Mary has rather fewer White students studying than the national average however this is to be expected to some extent due to recruiting local students from the diverse population in particular London boroughs. The second factor is organisational success in recruiting overseas students. The College has slightly fewer Black Caribbean students than the national average. The 2008/9 widening participation programme will offer a comprehensive range of activities that will focus on raising the aspirations and attainment of students who would not otherwise consider higher education. This work will reach students from all ethnic backgrounds, but one of the most significant under-representation is of white working class males.

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[1]Percentage totals may not equal 100 due to rounding.

[2]Percentage totals may not equal 100 due to rounding.

[3]The ethnic category ‘White’ includes White, White – British, White – Irish, White – Scottish, Irish Traveller and Other White background. This is to ensure parity in comparison with the HESA totals.

[4]The ethnic category ‘Other ethnic background (including Mixed Race)’ includes the entries, Mixed Race -White and Black Caribbean, Mixed Race - White and Black African, Mixed Race - White and Asian, Other Mixed Race background and Other ethnic background. This is to ensure parity in comparison with the HESA totals.

[5]In this analysis postgraduate level of study incorporates research-based and taught higher degrees which include doctorates, masters, postgraduate diplomas and certificates. This is to ensure parity in comparison with the HESA totals.

[6]Percentage totals may not equal 100 due to errors in rounding.

[7]There is a high percentage of students at Queen Mary who have described themselves as having “Other Ethnic Background” compared to the HESA national average. Analysis of the student information system within the College demonstrates that international students both from within and outside the European Union tend to choose this category.