The Impact of a Mathematics Bridging Intervention on the Inclusivity of a University Economics Programme

Abstract

The inclusivity of all students in the University Economics programme is in danger due to a high failure rate in the first-year mathematics course. This study investigates whether participation in a bridging course, and what aspects of it, can contribute to equal opportunities and increased inclusivity in the Mathematics for Economists course, and henceforth reduce the failure rate. It adds to the meager European literature on remedial course effectiveness. Through the use of ordinary least square regression analyses, a significant positive effect of participation in the bridging course was found for the student group as a whole. Furthermore, the results indicated that participation was particularly valuable for the least mathematically prepared students.