Black economists struggle to find jobs at top universities

SOME ethnic minority groups remain underrepresented in the economics departments of the country’s most prestigious universities, a report has suggested.

Black economists are 64 per cent less likely to work in Russell Group institutions – the most selective universities in the UK – than their white peers, the Institute for Fiscal Studies ( IFS) found.

Nearly a quarter ( 24 per cent) of economists doing research and teaching in UK universities were from non- white backgrounds in 2018- 19 – a rise of five percentage points since 2012.

But ethnic minority economists who work in Russell Group universities are 45 per cent less likely to hold a senior academic or managerial position than their white peers, researchers suggested.

Non- white students accounted for 37 per cent of British economics undergraduates in 2018- 19, and take- up for economics was lowest among white students, says the report. However, ethnic minority students are less likely to study at Russell Group universities and are much less likely to continue into further study.

Bangladeshi economics undergraduates are half as likely to be enrolled at Russell Group universities as white students and black Caribbeans are more than 60 per cent less likely, the report said.

A Universities UK spokesman: “Universities are committed to widening access to, and participation in, higher education for staff and students.”