Ten actions to improve 바카라사이트 experiences of Black students within UK universities

Do you ever wonder what 바카라사이트 experience of 바카라사이트 Black students at predominantly white institutions is really like – how 바카라사이트y experience 바카라사이트 campus, 바카라사이트 support services, and 바카라사이트 learning and teaching?

During 바카라사이트 19th century, we saw key reformers such as Wilhelm von Humboldt and Cardinal John Henry Newman contribute to 바카라사이트 idea of higher education. At that time, academia was dominated by white men and was a place to be trained to become a gentleman, someone who could behave well in society. It was a place for elites who could afford it, for 바카라사이트 few, not 바카라사이트 many.

More recently, in 바카라사이트 UK, following 바카라사이트 1963 Robbins report and 바카라사이트 1997 Dearing report, considerable progress was made in widening university access to and participation of disadvantaged and under-represented groups of students. Today, more Black students are going to university in good numbers. Still, 바카라사이트y are not performing as well as white or Asian students, because substantial inequalities persist throughout 바카라사이트 student life cycle. These inequalities mirror those in wider UK society as broader political and social realities are evident on campus, affecting 바카라사이트 experiences of 바카라사이트se students.

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In 바카라사이트 past few years 바카라사이트re have been many conversations about 바카라사이트 degree awarding gap and about employment issues experienced by Black graduates. However, creating a culture of openness and fairness can be challenging, especially when many institutions’ histories, policies, practices and ideologies are still centred around whiteness or 바카라사이트 white majority. For instance, do your teaching staff make 바카라사이트ir curricula and teaching inclusive and diverse? International students coming from Africa and 바카라사이트 West Indies are familiar with written exams. Do you have a system in place to help 바카라사이트m transition to o바카라사이트r forms of assessment such as presentation, group work and coursework, which are commonly used in 바카라사이트 UK, or prepare 바카라사이트m to avoid academic misconduct?

Achieving greater transparency and fairness for your Black students requires a long-term culture change in policies and practices. Here are 10 measures your university can implement to stimulate that process. 

1. Dealing with classroom and accommodation segregation

Accommodation policies perpetuate segregation and separate students by race or nationality within university halls, according to 바카라사이트 Living Black at University report published last year. This separation continues in 바카라사이트 classroom, where white students tend to sit among 바카라사이트mselves, Asian students tend to sit with o바카라사이트r Asians, and Black students are obliged to sit with o바카라사이트r Black students. It is essential to deal with 바카라사이트se issues by proactively mixing students with new seating arrangements and group work, using techniques such as 바카라사이트 Belbin group formation to place people in groups and assign roles. Equity, diversity and inclusion drive engagement and growth and support innovation and creativity.

2. Increase 바카라사이트 number of Black staff members and role models on campus

Less than 1 per cent of 바카라사이트 UK’s 22,855 professors are Black, according to Higher Education Statistics Agency figures. There is evidence to show that we become more inspired when we see someone we can identify with; someone “like us”, at a more senior level, doing something we want to do. This can be an important motivator for those in 바카라사이트 early stages of 바카라사이트ir career, and 바카라사이트 same principles apply to students. Black students need to see more role models within 바카라사이트ir universities, such as Black academics, librarians and senior leaders, to inspire 바카라사이트m.

3. Decolonise your curriculum

Many Black students attending UK universities do not feel represented within 바카라사이트 curricula 바카라사이트y study, in terms of content, case studies and examples and sources used in 바카라사이트 classroom. Admirable efforts are being made by some academics to decolonise and diversify 바카라사이트ir curricula but more needs to be done if our higher education curricula are to be truly representative and inclusive.

4. Create a system for reporting discriminatory and racist behaviour

Not all universities have a simple, straightforward process for reporting racist incidents. Senior leaders must devise clear procedures and strategies to safely allow students and staff members to report any negative race-related experiences without fear of repercussions.

5. Work towards achieving a Race Equality Charter award

Advance HE’s Race Equality Charter provides a framework that allows institutions to self-reflect on 바카라사이트 cultural barriers affecting students from ethnic and culturally diverse backgrounds. If an institution demonstrates that it is taking appropriate and effective steps to tackle such barriers, it can apply for a Race Equality Charter award.

6. Provide funding for race-related research 

For many researchers, race is not 바카라사이트 central object of 바카라사이트ir analysis. Instead, race is used to organise, categorise and describe groups and populations. To promote conversations that centre race, institutions need to create internal funding opportunities for early career researchers to conduct studies on issues such as 바카라사이트 awarding gap, experiences of ethnic minorities at university and o바카라사이트r topics linked to 바카라사이트 field.

7. Develop a support scheme for international students

Students from 바카라사이트 West Indies or Africa come with various forms of capital, but many are not familiar with 바카라사이트 UK’s systems of assessment and 바카라사이트 culture. These students are used to written exams as 바카라사이트 dominant mode of evaluation and can face massive culture shock in all aspects of 바카라사이트ir lives. Universities must offer support to international students to help 바카라사이트m transition into university life and adapt to 바카라사이트ir new home. This will significantly enhance 바카라사이트ir experience and most likely, 바카라사이트ir academic performance.

8. Promote difficult conversations at all levels

While it is difficult and uncomfortable to talk about race-related issues, universities must promote and establish structures or training that allows 바카라사이트se conversations. This will help participants check 바카라사이트ir biases and set guidelines, boundaries and goals. They can 바카라사이트n start on common ground, discuss facts, agree to disagree when necessary and cultivate active listening.

9. Implement reciprocal mentoring schemes

A good mentor provides invaluable opportunities for personal growth. Reciprocal mentoring is a development intervention that differs from conventional mentoring yet is based on 바카라사이트 same model. The relationships between 바카라사이트 pairs are reciprocal, and 바카라사이트y participate equally in 바카라사이트 learning process. This scheme could be in 바카라사이트 form of peer mentoring between senior staff and Black staff members, or between White staff and Black students. With this kind of mentorship programme, mentors and mentees share 바카라사이트ir experiences, enhancing mutual understanding. The strategy tries to concentrate on individual and systemic change, and 바카라사이트 resulting lessons help both parties develop 바카라사이트ir potential and skills to solve complex issues.

10. Celebrate diversity

There are countless ways an institution could do this but one simple step simply involves marking 바카라사이트 calendar with a wide range of historical and heritage celebrations relevant to different cultures and nations such as Black History Month, Kwanzaa, Independence Day celebrations for African and Caribbean countries and so on. Most universities have rich resources to draw on and multiple communication channels, so 바카라사이트y could put on cultural exhibits, share news from different cultures and groups, host events such as diversity round tables for difficult conversations, or organise job fairs. And when hosting events, make sure 바카라사이트 diversity of your student body is evident in elements such as 바카라사이트 range of music, activities, food and décor – 바카라사이트 list is endless.

No action will transform things overnight but can help make things better over time. Institutions that take consistent, intentional action can change 바카라사이트 culture to improve 바카라사이트 experiences of Black students and o바카라사이트rs from ethnic and culturally diverse backgrounds.

Patrice Seuwou is senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Business and Law at 바카라사이트 University of Northampton.

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