About the research
Education has long been associated with richer employment opportunities and higher salaries. Education patterns in the past indicate ethnic minority groups have been disadvantaged in this respect compared with their white British counterparts, however the trend is changing: more recent studies find that ethnic minorities are obtaining qualifications at increasing rates.
This study aims to provide an overview of the educational attainment of ethnic groups in England and Wales in 2011 and to examine how it has changed over time. Drawing from UK Census data of 1991, 2001 and 2011, the researchers examined the qualifications of ethnic minority groups by age, country of birth and year of arrival. The analysis shows that ethnic minorities earned more qualifications over the last two decades and had higher educational attainment in 2011 than members of the white British group.
Across all age groups in 2011, people born outside the UK and members of the Indian, Chinese and black African groups had significantly higher educational achievements than white British groups.Over 35 per cent of people born outside the UK had degree-level qualifications compared with 26 per cent of those born in the UK.
Over time the censuses indicate improved access to higher education. Overall, people from the Indian, Pakistani, Chinese and black Caribbean groups experienced the largest increases in degree-level qualifications The researchers suggest that these improvements are mainly down to improved access to higher education, particularly among women. Increasing attainment levels and aspirations among ethnic minority pupils — along with the growing number of international students and high-skilled migrants over the past two decades — have also played a role.
The most educationally disadvantaged groups in 2011 were white Gypsies/Irish Travellers, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis; they were more likely to have no qualifications than white British people. However younger people, including members of the Pakistani and Bangladeshi groups, were considerably more qualified than their older counterparts.
Methodology
The researchers used descriptive analysis to examine which ethnic groups are more and less advantaged in terms of educational attainment. The analysis focuses on the distribution of high education outcomes denoted by completed education at Level 4 or above and low education outcomes denoted by the absence of qualifications.
To compare changes, the qualifications of ethnic minority groups were examined by age, country of birth and year of arrival, to explore potential explanations for differences in educational attainment among ethnic groups.
Publications
Lymperopoulou, K. and Parameshwaran, M. (2014) ‘How are ethnic inequalities in education changing?’ ESRC Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity and Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Dynamics of Diversity: Evidence from the 2011 Census series. Retrieved 16 June 2014 from www.ethnicity.ac.uk/discover/briefings/census/dynamics-of-diversity/
The briefings have been used by local government, central government and NGOs.
The study has also received coverage in the media:
Bennett, R. (11 March 2014) ‘Many immigrants “are better qualified than white Britons”’, The Times. Retrieved 16 June 2014 from http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/education/article4029336.ece.
Patton, G. (10 March 2014) ‘White British adults “less qualified’ than ethnic minorities”’, Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 16 June 2014 from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/10688017/White-British-adults-less-qualified-than-ethnic-minorities.html.
Doughty, S. (11 March 2014) ‘Foreigners in UK more likely to have a degree’, Daily Mail. Retrieved 16 June 2014 from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2577982/Foreigners-UK-likely-degree-Third-born-abroad-university-level-qualifications-compared-quarter-Britons.html
Dale, I. (Presenter) (10 March 2014) The Whole Show [Radio broadcast], London: LBC Radio. [no longer available]