Don’t ignore the impact of menopause of business school learners!

You won’t have failed to notice that addressing the impact of the menopause at work has become a key business topic, but have you considered how it affects your learners?

Research shows that the menopause remains widely misunderstood and that people going through the menopause face discrimination at work, yet student experiences in higher education remain missing from current discourse. Unsurprising, given that menopause usually affects women between the ages of 45 and 55[1], but the average age of the business school learner is 26 according to HESA data. This perhaps explains the notable scarcity of research and literature addressing this intersection, reflecting broader systemic invisibility and marginalisation of menopausal experiences within society.

So, what do we know about menopause and business school students?

In February 2024 the Chartered ABS published the first ever analysis of the demographic characteristics of degree apprenticeship learners in UK business schools using a bespoke dataset from HESA. The report, called “Bridging the gap: How business schools are building pathways to success with degree apprenticeships”, reveals the extent to which these programmes help widen social mobility.  More broadly, the data also shines light on the potential impact of menopause in our business school community.  The dataset shows that 27% of business and management level 6 degree apprentices and 56% of business and management level 7 degree apprentices are aged 40+. Perhaps more surprisingly, the figure for the broader business learner community is perhaps higher than you might have expected. Around 11% of business and management undergraduate female students were aged 40+, and 32% of business and management postgraduate female students fall into this bracket.  We can therefore infer that menopause is affecting at least a tenth of business undergraduate, and a third of business postgraduates.

Conscious of this gap, earlier in 2024, Dr Louise Oldridge and Dr Joanna Booth from Nottingham Trent University, worked with Sociology students (Leah Frost, Malkia Isis Herbert and Sophie Reed), to administer a survey of open and closed questions to degree apprentices at Nottingham Trent University. Whilst this was a small sample of 13 responses, it highlights key issues which our sector needs to consider.  Respondents spoke of issues with changes in mood, problems with memory or concentration, hot flushes and difficulty sleeping. When asked specifically how menopausal symptoms have affected their studies, respondents reported feeling overwhelmed, uncomfortable in teaching sessions and assessed presentations.  Consider the following comments;

“It’s difficult enough to get a degree, let alone with the disruption of menopause symptoms, but I shut up and hope I come out the other end ok”

“Brain fog leaving me unable to concentrate, mood swings, feeling low and unable to get motivated”.

“I feel constantly anxious when I have exams/assignments to hand in as I worry that the grade I receive will not reflect the number of hours an the amount of effort and work I have put in and this can destroy one’s confidence and be demotivating”.

“I’m having difficulty focusing and remembering or recalling information. It is taking me twice as long to complete any work as I am second guessing everything. I have lost confidence and belief in myself. My moods are so low I am extremely emotional and irritable. My physical and mental health has taken a downward turn”.

It is clear to see why the menopause is a significant factor in learning, and the study’s findings highlight the significant impact of menopause on degree apprenticeship students, including physical symptoms, psychological effects and challenges in managing work and study commitments. Moreover, it underscores the need for greater awareness, support, and accommodations all across our business schools to address the multifaceted needs of menopausal students.

So how do we tackle this impact?

For the research team, Joanna and Louise are considering the following next steps:

• Greater acknowledgement, education and understanding, to enhance a culture of openness and inclusivity around menopause, along with promotion of existing support systems

• Steps to inform existing and developing University policy, such as menopausal symptoms as a recognised reason for extension requests

• Reviewing learning experiences, including pacing in class, making more information available for on-demand learning, reviewing assessment methods and reducing reliance on memory recall, and physical adjustment to room and equipment settings

More broadly, while menopause is getting attention for academics, developing this study further through intersectional qualitative research is an aim of the research team, and needs to be seen as an imperative for the academy.

[1] Menopause can happen much earlier, particularly where the multiple impact of disabling medical conditions is accounted for, and affects anyone who has periods.

Source: apprenticeships data from bespoke HESA dataset supplied by Jisc using the HESA Student Record 2021/22.

Data for undergraduates/postgraduates is from HESA Student Record FPE, 2021/22, extracted from Heidi Plus, July 2024

Note: All figures are based on UK-domiciled students