With university Access and Participation funding, we investigated the factors that impact success in the education journey of all undergraduate students in Computer Science from Years 1 – 3 from all ethnicities and backgrounds. The study aimed to identify the barriers to attainment and co-design interventions with our students and staff to deliver the best, most equitable student experience that will lead them to successful careers in computing.
We have run Pre & Post focus groups with students and staff with external facilitator, and a survey in between. 106 undergraduate students responded to the survey. The survey represents all years well: Year 1 (31%), Year 2 (31%), Year 3 (30%), and Placement (9%). Our study did not show strong links to gap or ethnicity in students self-reported engagement, expectations of success, and career aspirations. However, there are factors beyond ethnicity that are affecting our cohort, which include non-UK-based schooling and being the first generation studying at university.
The results of this study were shared in the university Awarding Gap Symposium in 2023.
BCSWomen lovelace Lovelace Colloquium is a national annual one day conference for women and non-binary undergraduate and MSc students of Computing and related subjects. The event started in 2008 and has moved around the country.
The aims of this event are to support and encourage women and non-binary students, and:
- To provide a forum for undergraduate and masters students to share their ideas and network
- To provide a stimulating series of talks from women in computing, both from academia and industry
- To provide both formal (talks) and informal (networking) advice to undergraduates and masters students about careers in computing from women and non-binary people’s perspectives.
Brunel University’s Computer Science Department supports travel and poster printing costs for all students that have a poster accepted to the colloquium.
2023 BCSWomen Lovelace Colloquium
2023 event was held at The University of Sheffield, on Wednesday April 12.
6/6 posters from Brunel were accepted:
- Tharuni Chandra Srilaya Eadara Venkata
- Mariam Otaiku
- Gopika Yedlapalli
- Elizabeth Aladejare
- Ukamaka Oragwu
- Marzena Jagoda