A recent report highlights potential disadvantages faced by female students at the prestigious universities of Oxford and Cambridge, commonly referred to as Oxbridge, particularly concerning their final-year exams. According to the study published by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), the exam-focused assessment methods at these institutions may be contributing to significant gender disparities in academic achievements, with men more likely to secure first-class degrees compared to their female counterparts.
The report sheds light on the complex dynamics at play, noting, for example, the 2022/2023 academic year statistics: only 22.4% of female students at Cambridge achieved first-class exam results, which is substantially lower than the 30.7% of male students. Similarly, the University of Oxford reports about 8.5 percentage points difference, where women lag behind men.
This disparity isn't solely reflective of academic abilities. Research author Famke Veenstra-Ashmore posits factors such as risk aversion among women and the impact of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which can lead to challenges like mood swings and insomnia, particularly during stringent exam preparations. The report emphasizes how Oxbridge's heavy reliance on final exams, which constitute 100% of the assessment for many courses, tends to favor those who are more comfortable postponing substantial study until the final weeks. Men, allegedly more inclined to take such risks, are benefitting from this structure.
Traditionally, women tend to adopt a more steady and consistent study approach throughout their three years of education, leading to fewer first-class degrees but more upper second-class degrees at many institutions. The findings indicated how male students were more likely to attain not only first-class honors but also lower second and third-class degrees. This suggests not just issues of preparation but also a systemic bias within the assessment structures at these elite institutions.
The report also draws attention to some subject-specific gaps maximizing the discrepancies—an alarming 43.3 percentage points gap was identified within Theology at Cambridge favoring men, alongside 29 percentage points favoring men within the Classics department at Oxford. This reflects broader representation issues, where courses may be predominantly taught by male faculty members, potentially discouraging female participation.
Rose Stephenson, director of policy and advocacy at HEPI, criticized the status quo, stating, "The slow pace of change is deeply unfair and means female students are not getting the most out of their experience of higher education." Acknowledging the historical backdrop of these institutions, it's worth noting Cambridge did not award degrees to women before 1948, highlighting the ingrained gender biases within their systems.
To address these gaps, the report advocates for "bold reforms" at Oxbridge, pushing for adjustments to assessment methods and emphasizing the importance of combining coursework with exams to aid fairness. By altering the balance of examinations to coursework, the report notes, Oxbridge could create a system where women's achievements are more accurately represented and rewarded.
This call for reform is set against the backdrop of broader societal changes where more female students are entering higher education. While Oxbridge continues to grapple with its historical biases, institutions like Nottingham Trent University and others have made strides to adapt their assessments. The balance of coursework and exams is seen as not only potentially more reflective of student performance but as also playing to strengths many female students possess.
Professor Bhaskar Vira from Cambridge noted, "We will make sure this research is visible and share the lessons we learn. This will contribute to an action plan being set up to address the issue." Meanwhile, Professor Martin Williams at Oxford stated the university has committed to eliminating the gender gap by 2030, indicative of forward-looking measures and recognition of persistent inequality. Restoring balance between sexes within academic achievements at Oxbridge won’t be instantaneous, but this report is part of the broader dialogue on how elite academic institutions evolve.
While opinions on how to fix the long-standing issues vary, Dorothy Byrne, president of Murray Edwards College, deemed it “ludicrous” the university hasn’t prioritized addressing inequalities linked to first-class degrees. There seems to be consensus among advocates for education reform: without immediate action, the gender attainment gap will only deepen.
The Oxbridge exam culture is under scrutiny as never before, reflecting not only on the institutions themselves but continuing to cast shadows on educational equity across the broader UK higher education system. It remains to be seen how effectively Oxbridge can respond to these findings and implement policies to rectify ingrained biases against women, and whether this can lead to meaningful change for its future leaders.
