Prof. Gabriella Cagliesi and Prof. Sambit Bhattacharyya (Head of Department of Economics) from the University of Sussex spoke to 45 first-year A Level Business and Economics students. They covered in depth topics such as: ‘What is economics?’, ‘Widening participation in economics’, and ‘How under represented some minorities are in economics’. Professor Sambit informed students of the changes in institutions like the Bank of England where over 50% of the workforce is now female, whilst Professor Cagliesi was heartened by the number of females studying economics or business, giving hope for a more equal participation in such an important area of study. This poignantly linked to the AOC Colleges Week’s Thursday theme of Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity.
They also spoke about different degree options including the development of their degree apprenticeship offering, careers, and earning potential in economic-related careers. Most importantly, they helped to dispel the myth that students studying economics at Sussex University must have an A Level in Maths, when in fact only a minority of economics-related degrees have such a requisite qualification.
