Young, white men not performing as well as women in higher education, says Hepi report

Young men are not performing as well in higher education (HE) as young women - white men in particular - which is “storing up problems for the future,” says a new report.

The findings from the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) show that, by the main Ucas deadline in January 2016, over 94,000 fewer men had applied for university, making them a minority among undergraduates, postgraduates, and full and part-time students.

The gap is biggest among the poorest: in 2015, just over half of young women on free school meals were more likely to make it to university. In comparison, young white males from disadvantaged households performed the worst, with only 8.9 per cent of 18-year old white men on free school meals entering HE.

Another key finding to emerge is that over 80 per cent of universities have more female than male students - 123 institutions versus 26 - yet new analysis conducted for Hepi by the Office for Fair Access (Offa) has shown only two have targets for recruiting more male students.

Furthermore, male underachievement is also evident when it comes to drop-out rates and degree performance. Previously unpublished data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa) show eight per cent of men - compared to six per cent of women - are no longer at university following their year of entry, while 69 per cent of men achieve a 2:1 or above, compared to 73 per cent of women.

Nick Hillman, co-author of the report and Hepi’s director, has recommended more widening participation spending should be focused on boys, including a new ‘Take Our Sons to University Day’, the involvement of male role models in all widening participation activities, and more foundation years.

He said: “Nearly everyone seems to have a vague sense our education system is letting young men down, but there are few detailed studies of the problem and almost no clear policy recommendations on what to do about it.”

Despite the statistics on males, Mr Hillman acknowledged the “substantial challenges” still being faced by women, and highlighted how female graduates earn lower salaries than males, female academics face “too many obstacles” in being promoted, and said lad culture can make “life uncomfortable” for female students too.

Though, he added: “But policymaking is not a zero-sum game in which you have to choose between caring for one group or the other. Indeed, we can only tackle the socio-economic gap in HE participation by focusing on the underachievement of young men, and particularly disadvantaged young white men.”

Mary Curnock Cook, the head of Ucas, pointed out that girls born in 2016 are on course to be 75 per cent more likely to go to university than boys of the same age.

She writes in the report’s foreword that Hepi’s evidence and possible solutions to the growing imbalance in educational achievement of boys is “enormously useful” and highlights “just how complex” the topic is.

She adds: “The evidence is compelling. Boys are performing worse than girls across primary, secondary, and HE - not to mention apprenticeships - and the situation is getting worse.

“On current trends, the gap between rich and poor will be eclipsed by the gap between males and females within a decade.”

General secretary of the University and College Union, Sally Hunt, described how policy-makers and the sector “must do more” to ensure future generations of students are not “hindered” by gender or social background.

She said: “Improving careers advice and a fairer system of financial support are key steps towards reducing these persistent inequalities at graduate level.

“We want to see a comprehensive package that includes national careers advice for all, and taxpayer support for an expansion of outreach work in the community by universities and colleges.”

The report has not gone down well with the National Union of Students (NUS), though. Sorana Vieru, NUS vice president of higher education, said it takes a “complex and nuanced issue and turns it into a ‘battle of the sexes’.”

She added: “It obscures the socio-economic issues that impact young working class men’s progression after school into education and employment.

“The report bizarrely positions women teachers as the reason young men don’t do as well as young women in school, when there is no evidence of this.

“The report also relies on quotes from discredited sources such as Mike Buchanan, leader of the Justice for Men and Boys (and the women who love them) Party.”

Professor Les Ebdon, director of fair access to higher education at Offa, said of the report’s findings: “This is a shocking, and avoidable, waste of talent which quashes individual opportunity, and also has a detrimental impact on our economy and society.

“It is crucial universities and colleges recognise and act upon this problem. Gender and race in HE are complex issues.”

Universities Minister, Jo Johnson, described how those with the talent and potential should have the opportunity to go to university, irrespective of background or gender.

He added: “While we are seeing record application rates from disadvantaged backgrounds, this report shows too many are still missing out.

“That is why our recent university access guidance, for the first time, called for specific support for white boys from the poorest homes, and it’s why we will press ahead with our important reforms to HE, including plans to require universities to publish admissions data, so that we can shine a spotlight on those that must do more.”