The information published on these pages shows:
The number of students who attained a particular degree or other academic award, or a particular level of such an award, on completion of their course with us.
It shows these numbers by reference to:
University of Southampton context relating to the data contained in the Transparency Information Notice
The University of Southampton operates a fair admission policy and is committed to equal access and opportunity. The data contained within the Transparency Information Notice highlights areas where we have more work to do in realising our ambitions.
We recognise that the proportion of Black students being awarded a 2:1 degree (or above) is lower than that of their white peers. The University also recognises the level of disparity in awarding between White and Black students, with an 18.1 percentage point difference in the percentage of students awarded a first-class degree. This is a top priority for the University and we have included a key strategy in our Access and Participation Plan to address this. We are adopting an approach based on community, culture and curriculum, and are undertaking a range of evidence-based initiatives to improve the student experience and education of Black students.
We also recognise significant division in attainment between students from the most deprived (EIMD* quintiles 1 and 2) and the least deprived (EIMD quintiles 3 to 5) areas of England. The proportion of EIMD2019 quintile 1 and 2 students to have been awarded a First Degree at grade 2:1 fell five percentage points to 81% while the proportion of EIMD2019 quintiles 3 to 5 students fell four percentage points to 90% (resulting in an increased gap of nine percentage points). The difference in the proportion of quintile 1 and 5 students awarded a first-class degree has also widened to 12 percentage points. This is another key priority for which we have developed a strategy in our Access and Participation Plan. We are growing our Ignite Southampton programme and academic skills service as part of our approach.
Attainment data by gender continues to align closely, with the gap between male and female students narrowing by 0.8 to 4.2 percentage points and the attainment rate for both groups falling by similar magnitudes on the previous year. As a founding signatory of the Athena Swan gender equality charter, and a Silver Award holder (held since 2016), we are committed to maximising the potential of all our people and tackling known gender equality issues. This situation will continue to be monitored.
More generally, we have committed ourselves to achieving stretching targets on access and attainment in our current Access and Participation Plan. Our 2024-28 Access and Participation, agreed by the Office for Students (OfS), builds on these ambitions towards equality of opportunity and an inclusive world for all.
*EIMD: English Index of Multiple Deprivation