Azhir Mahmood  🚀 🤖 🧬 🧠 🪐

UG Degree awarding gap is one of the reasons for the sharp drop from UG to PGR for UK domiciled students. Upper second class (2.1) remains a requirement for PhD admission in @RussellGroup unis. Should we reconsider this? How do 2.2 holders perform at PGR?https://twitter.com/KEHplantsci/status/1362488630137282562 …

I think there is a strong case for contextual PG admissions given some of the real issues in UG - unfortunately it will take time (decades?) to get UG sorted, but many PG admissions teams will be unaware of inequalities. Would be a relatively easy intervention with real impact

PGR admission teams in most unis are very very reluctant to lower their 2.1 requirement. (It used to cause huge issues for students from Italy, France & Portugal. Their 2.1 equivalent can be hard to achieve.)

Yes. Unfortunately this means students with a 2ii who want to do PGR end up having to do an MSc which has huge ££ implications. PGT fees = Wild West of HE at the moment, and perpetuates massive inequality - wealthy student with 2ii can probably get to PGR, less affluent can’t

Getting onto a MSci in itself with a 2ii is very difficult. And usually students with 2ii will end up having to do two PGRs to compensate as academics are incredibly elitist. From my perspective modern universities now perpetuate inequality and the class divide within society.

It’s frustrating and so patently obvious. UG classification hugely varies between universities and courses. You also find students with disabilities, from lower socioeconomics and BME are all marginalised. Academics have always lived in an ivory tower — they don’t care.

Not all academics! There are lots who care v deeply and are trying to make change, but can be painfully slow & frustrating to get any movement at department level, let alone institution or sector level. Inequalities are stark & unacceptable, but change seems impossible sometimes

To give context. During my UG at Camb my friends began suffering with schizophrenia, etc. He was breaking down and little was done. He was pushed to sit his finals, but underperformed due to his health. He struggle to find employment later. He killed himself a year later at 21