Supported by BERA’s Small Grants Fund, this study considered race, racism and racial equality within UK higher education institutions (HEIs).
Although there has been significant progress in developing balanced institutional frameworks to identify and address barriers to Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) staff and students, such as BERA’s Race Equality Policy and Advance HE’s Race Equality Charter (REC), there remains a challenge in agreeing the ‘gold’ standard for tackling racism and other forms of discrimination in higher education. Advance HE’s REC provides a framework through which institutions work to identify and self-reflect on institutional and cultural barriers standing in the way of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff and students. Member institutions develop initiatives and solutions for action, and can apply for a Bronze or Silver REC award, depending on their level of progress.
This project aimed to:
- Investigate how HEIs’ stance on tackling racial disparities for students and staff is influenced by scholarship and the UK policy landscape.
- Understand the possibilities for, and limitations within, leveraging metrics, statistical evidence, narratives and testimonies of racism and racial inequalities to account for individuals’ multiple attributes, identities and values.
The project has recently concluded, and the dissemination of the findings will take place as a free online webinar on 30 September 2022. Please visit this for details on how to register (alternatively visit the author’s website to register or view information). The webinar will include a summary of the findings in more detail, alongside some activities to help participants further advance their understanding of race and intersectionality.