Living Black at University Commission Report 2022/23 Living Black at University Commission Report 2022/23 4.4 CASE STUDY: UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM Adele Ruston The University of Nottingham is completing research into The data has also been used across the university to This research is a key part of the future residential Student Living Access & Participation Research the experiences of Black students in their halls of residence, highlight the impact of accommodation on certain strategy at the university, underpinning a diverse Manager at University of Nottingham to understand how we can create diverse communities and communities. We have provided our senior tutor and inclusive accommodation o昀昀er. Further work with best support Black students to get the most out of their time network with information about the barriers that Black students will explore belonging, satisfaction and at university. Black students might face. This both educates them attendance with the goal of improving attainment. on the diverse needs of students from di昀昀erent Our recent research has looked at how Black students choose where backgrounds and enables them to consider how they they want to live, and this has provided us with important information can better support these students. about key factors and in昀氀uences that determine applicants’ choices in selecting their accommodation needs prior to starting university. Matching Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data with student allocation information allowed us to segment the data and create average trends which re昀氀ected living patterns and student decision- making. A four-year data analysis of student accommodation allocations showed us that Black British students were applying to a small subset of halls of residence at the university. This analysis was followed up with student focus groups to explore why they chose this accommodation. The results demonstrated that for Black students, it was important to know that people like them lived in their accommodation, and they would research the best places to live to suit their lifestyle choices. All students that took part in the research mentioned the importance The results of a diverse community, and engaging with events and activities that “ re昀氀ected their values. Many commented that students living in less demonstrated diverse accommodation had to work harder to seek out their own that for Black community; some students were happy to do this, but for others, this a昀昀ected their ability to 昀椀nd their place at the university. students, it was The research and data analysis will allow our Student Living Team to important to know consider the needs of Black students in more detail and develop and co-create events and activities that re昀氀ect their values. By creating a that people like dashboard of students’ key characteristics, the team can access data that supports the creation of an inclusive events programme that them lived in their students from all backgrounds want to attend. This has also allowed us to consider our support provision in halls and introduce new accommodation. wellbeing and support programmes. 38 39