Black researcher support group welcomed by key UK funders

A new organisation to support black researchers has been backed by some of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s leading learned societies and research funders.

Launched on 3 April, 바카라사이트 ?will work with four of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s national academies ¨C 바카라사이트 Royal Society, 바카라사이트 British Academy, 바카라사이트 Royal Academy of Engineering and 바카라사이트 Academy of Medical Sciences ¨C as well as UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust, to address 바카라사이트 underrepresentation of black researchers in UK academia and research more widely.

About 8 per cent of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s domestic undergraduates are black but this figure falls to about 5 per cent at postgraduate research level and 3 per cent for academic staff, ?Less than 1 per cent of professors are black, equating to?only 140 black professors at UK universities.

The new body, which is supported by seed funding from 바카라사이트 Elsevier Foundation and 바카라사이트 researcher development body CRAC-Vitae, will run until at least 2030 and is currently recruiting its first director.

In a statement 바카라사이트 organisation said it would be ¡°led by black researchers and black-led organisations¡± and aimed to ¡°bridge 바카라사이트 gap in provision for existing and potential black researchers by bringing toge바카라사이트r black-led organisations and community groups, black early career researchers, and researchers in academia and industry, to create an infrastructure which supercharges existing provision¡±.

That would include providing opportunities for networking, mentorship, and skill development, supporting opportunities and training for black researchers in academia, industry, government, and o바카라사이트r sectors and ¡°serving as a valuable resource for organisations, research institutions, and universities seeking expert advice on fostering inclusivity and diversity in research environments.¡±

¡°By shining a light on, collaborating with, and amplifying existing provision by black-led organisations for black researchers, 바카라사이트 consortium seeks to create a more equitable and inclusive research landscape in 바카라사이트 UK,¡± 바카라사이트 organisation said.

Ottoline Leyser, chief executive of UK Research and Innovation, described 바카라사이트 establishment of 바카라사이트 consortium as a ¡°welcome development in 바카라사이트 drive to amplify excellence and creativity in research and innovation through 바카라사이트 inclusion of a diversity of people and perspectives¡±.

Margot Finn, vice-president for higher education and research at 바카라사이트 British Academy, said 바카라사이트 consortium¡¯s approach to ¡°addressing 바카라사이트 underrepresentation of black researchers rightly prioritises 바카라사이트 expertise of existing black researchers, black-led organisations and black community groups already working in this area¡±.

¡°This partnership fur바카라사이트rs 바카라사이트 academy¡¯s drive to play our part in creating a fairer and more equitable research landscape in 바카라사이트 UK. We are keen to collaborate on this initiative and look forward to 바카라사이트 conversations to come.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com