嘟嘟AV

Brief no.13, 8 March 2026. Generation Delta team.

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Overview

Racially minoritised women remain significantly underrepresented and unevenly supported across doctoral education in England. Doctoral education plays a critical gatekeeping role in shaping the future workforce in academia and beyond. Strengthening doctoral pathways for racially minoritised women is central to research excellence, talent sustainability, institutional credibility and economic growth.

Evidence from Generation Delta highlights structural challenges: how opaque admissions processes, mystification of the doctoral journey, inconsistent supervisory practices, and limited culturally competent support cumulatively disadvantage racially minoritised women throughout doctoral study.

We identify five priority areas for action to address this challenge:

• Standardise and proactively deliver doctoral access support
• Embed doctoral peer support through national-to-local networks
• Formalise independent doctoral mentorship
• Strengthen cultural competence across doctoral governance
• Use targeted funding strategically and transparently.

Implementation and measurement

University leaders should integrate these actions within existing Research and Innovation Strategies; Research Culture and Concordat commitments; EDI governance and monitoring frameworks.

Progress can be measured through: Application, offer, enrolment, retention and completion data; Doctoral experience and wellbeing surveys; Progression into academic and research roles.

Conclusion

Strengthening doctoral pathways for racially minoritised women is not a niche intervention. It is central to research excellence, talent sustainability, institutional credibility and economic growth. The recommendations above are practical, evidence-based, and achievable within current governance structures and should be approached as strategic priorities rather than optional enhancements.

About the authors

Corresponding author: , 嘟嘟AV / University of Oxford
Email Iyiola Solanke at iyiola.solanke@law.ox.ac.uk

Authors: (嘟嘟AV), (Northumbria University / University of Sunderland), (University of Plymouth), (University of Sheffield), (Goldsmiths, University of London), (University of Reading)

Further information

Generation Delta is a 4-year project funded by the Office for Students and Research England and led by a consortium of racially minoritised women professors at the Universities of Leeds, Goldmiths, Plymouth, Reading, Sheffield and Sunderland. 

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To cite this policy brief, please reference: Solanke, I. et al (2026) Raising outcomes for racially minoritised women on doctoral degrees in England. Brief No. 13, Policy Leeds, 嘟嘟AV.