The East Midlands Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths

The East Midlands Science, Technology,
Engineering and Maths Awards:
The Legacy of a Collaborative Aimhigher Project
1. Project description
2. Evaluation
3. Application of findings
....questions
Project Description
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Origins
Numbers
Promotion and Recruitment
Co-ordination
Components
(scholarship and skills event)
Access
• 200 scholarships
“As a self-funded student, I probably wouldn’t have
been able to do my course at all without the award”
(Student, cohort 2)
“My family have always been really supportive of my decision to go to
University but I remember vividly the conversations I had with my
parents concerning finances and how they were ever going to be able
to fund my education. The EMSTA award made my decision [to go to
university] a lot easier as I knew I wouldn’t be relying on my parents”
(Student, cohort 2)
Retention
• Of the 200 hundred students that were accepted
onto the scheme 196 have graduated or are set to
graduate with a STEM degree
“The EMSTA programme has allowed me to not worry about the
financial implications of studying a degree as much as it would have
without EMSTA's assistance. I believe being able to concentrate on my
studies and not have as much of a financial burden has helped me
accomplish the grades I have achieved” (Student, cohort 2)
Retention
• 61% of the award holders felt that the EMSTA
scheme had made a direct difference to how well
they were doing, or had done, on their course
“The EMSTA grant allowed me to concentrate a lot more on my studies
rather than having to work so many part time hours. This clearly both
helped my results and my enjoyment of the course”
(Student, cohort 1)
Retention
• 77% of award holders had been made to feel more
confident, and in some instances more determined
about succeeding at University
“It gave me a real confidence boost, someone believing in me and
thinking I will become successful”
(Student, cohort 2)
• 62% of award holders stated that the scheme
made a positive difference to their enjoyment of their
course - a factor possibly contributing to the high
retention rates
Progression
• 86% of EMSTA scholars stated that the scheme
and, in particular, the annual skills event had made a
difference to their awareness and understanding of
STEM-related careers:
“The careers advice and workshops were extremely useful, being
STEM specific they were much better than generalized careers fairs
where people’s knowledge on what you can do with science and maths
is often limited”
(Student, cohort 1)
Progression
“The EMSTA annual conferences prepared us for having to fill in
application forms, how to deal with phone interviews and face to face
interviews. This was introduced from the first year so we were prepared
by the third year for the real thing”
(Student, cohort 1)
“Good opportunity to speak to employers and find out inside
information about their recruitment process, and information about
STEM careers”
(Student, cohort 2)
“I never considered that doing PhD was something that normal people
did until I attended the graduate opportunities workshop at the
conference; I am now doing a PhD in Mathematics next year”
(Student, cohort 1)
Reasons for the
scheme’s success
• Partnership working
• Relationship between beneficiaries and
co-ordinators
• Harnessing social media
Continued relevance...
Contact details:
• Neil Raven:
N.D.RAVEN@lboro.ac.uk
• Samantha Husbands:
S.K.HUSBANDS@lboro.ac.uk
Questions...
a. Comparable schemes/projects in your area
b. Your assessment of what we have identified as the
main lessons from the project
c. Other lessons that we may have overlooked
d. Ideas on strategies for sustaining these initiatives