50:50 Engineering Engagement Initiative for Inclusion and Gender Equality
QUICK: programme-initiative
50:50 Engineering Engagement Initiative for Inclusion and Gender Equality
Country:
United Kingdom
Education level:
Primary Education, Lower secondary education, Secondary Education, Vocational Education and Training (VET), Higher Education
Year start:
2014
Status:
Ongoing
Short summary:
The 50.50 UCL Engineering Engagement Initiative focuses on six key priorities, implemented across UCL's 134 STEM programmes, connecting over 30,000 children and young people and 529 schools across the UK with 632 UCL Engineering staff and students who design and deliver the activities.
Description and objectives:
At the core of UCL's 50.50 Engineering Engagement Strategy is the aim to strengthen and diversify the engineering workforce, by encouraging young people from a wide range of backgrounds - especially young girls - to consider career pathways both ‘in’ and ‘from’ engineering. The initiative focuses on sustained, meaningful engagement, designing programmes that are based in engineering’s real social, ethical, environmental and humanitarian contexts. UCL wants young people to appreciate the interdisciplinary nature of engineering. The programme focuses on gender equality and inclusion, both for the course design and pupil participation, and promote diversity in every sense. Through the 50.50 Initiative, UCL has been able to create a step change in the representation of girls, women and ethnic minorities across all our STEM engagement programmes.
The 50.50 UCL Engineering Engagement Initiative focuses on six key priorities
- Promoting gender equality and inclusion
- Learning through experimental engineering
- Inspiring through relatable engineering role models
- Discovering STEM career pathways
- Prioritising early intervention
- Supporting teachers through professional development
The programme is linked to the UK government’s “Girls Education” and “Year of Engineering” programmes, as well as policies to get more girls into science and engineering careers and degrees.
As part of the initiative and partnership with EngineeringUK, Royal Academy of Engineering, Institute of Physics, Institute of Engineering & Technology and Institution of Mechanical Engineers, through the programme UCL co-developeds “Meet The Future You” (see background documents) based on real-life UCL engineers, with an emphasis on intersectionality and representation.
Reach:
The initiative has been implemented across UCL's 134 STEM programmes, connecting over 30,000 children and young people and 529 schools across the UK with 632 UCL Engineering staff and students who design and deliver the activities.
Impact:
50.50 had been implemented across 134 programmes in partnership with 73 stakeholders, connecting over 22,800 girls with UCL Engineering staff and students. Female participation increased from 19% to 76% (2014 to 2021), with girls stating that our programmes are inherently inclusive, “fair” and “for them”. 69% of female participants aged 17-19 years old apply to study STEM subjects at university level. Furthermore, an increase in literacy skills (from 22% to 73%), numeracy (17% to 66%) and understanding of STEM (31% to 75%).
UCL's evaluation strategy goes beyond the “reaction” level, using mixed methodology including pre and post activity responses; impact observed by teachers; evaluation tasks and external evaluator observations. We obtain evidence of impact at: initial reaction; changes in participants knowledge and skills over 3-6 months (medium impact) or 6-9 months (high impact). Impact evaluation process maps were created to support the evaluation process.
Budget and funding model:
50.50 has several programmes that are funded with different amounts each year, so funding varies significantly from year to year. Funding includes financial (lumsum or co-financing – partnership model) and / or in kind support (i.e. experts, resources, specialised equipment or kit etc.).
Funders include: 1. Education organisations; 2. Foundations and charities; 3. UK Government (DfE) and 4. UCL Engineering faculty outreach budget.
Continued funding depends on shared strategic objectives, the programme’s outcomes and the feedback on impact from the schools, community partners.
June 27, 2022
Meet the Future You is a tool co-created by UCL Engineering, EngineeringUK, Royal Academy of Engineering, ICE, IET, iMechE and the IOP. By answering a few short questions, students...