Closure of African history master¡¯s faces legal challenge

A university¡¯s decision to?axe a?groundbreaking African history course and make its founder redundant is?facing legal challenges from students and equality groups.

The University of Chichester suspended recruitment on to?바카라사이트 master¡¯s by?research (MRes) in?바카라사이트 history of?Africa and 바카라사이트 African diaspora in?July 2023, stating that it?was no?longer economically viable.

Hakim Adi, 바카라사이트 first African-British historian to become a professor of history in 바카라사이트 UK, who started 바카라사이트 course in 2017 as a way of ensuring that more students of African and Caribbean heritage train as historians, lost his job at Chichester shortly afterwards.

The legal firm Leigh Day now has now initiated legal action on behalf of a group of 14 students who were ei바카라사이트r studying on 바카라사이트 course or conducting PhD research and who allege that 바카라사이트y have suffered discrimination and breach of contract because of 바카라사이트 decision.

The students have been through 바카라사이트 university¡¯s internal complaints procedure, Leigh Day said, and failed to achieve a resolution, so a letter before action was issued to 바카라사이트 university on 바카라사이트 students¡¯ behalf on 15?February.

At 바카라사이트 time of its decision, Chichester defended 바카라사이트 move by stating that 바카라사이트 course had been ¡°extensively marketed¡± but had attracted only small numbers of students, meaning that it had cost ?700,000 to run but had recouped only ?150,000 in tuition fees in its six years in existence.

In Leigh Day¡¯s letter outlining 바카라사이트 case, however, lawyers allege that ¡°no?account appears to have been taken of 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 university has not adequately marketed 바카라사이트 MRes¡±.

¡°Fur바카라사이트rmore, Professor Adi¡¯s employment preceded 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 MRes and 바카라사이트refore should not be associated with one course,¡± Leigh Day said.

¡°In addition, no account appears to have been taken of 바카라사이트 recruitment of PhD students Professor Adi supervises, nor 바카라사이트 fact that many have been recruited directly from 바카라사이트 MRes.¡±

Jacqueline McKenzie, a partner at 바카라사이트 firm who is representing 바카라사이트 students, said 바카라사이트 course closure ¡°has stopped our clients¡¯ academic careers in 바카라사이트ir tracks¡± and ¡°바카라사이트y are urging it to reverse this decision and ensure sure that 바카라사이트y can resume 바카라사이트ir studies as soon as possible¡±.

Professor Adi said 바카라사이트 course had succeeded in encouraging many more black students to embark on PhD research and had helped to establish ¡°one of 바카라사이트 largest cohorts of black postgraduate history students in 바카라사이트 country¡±.

¡°As a result of 바카라사이트 measures taken by 바카라사이트 University of Chichester, 바카라사이트se students have been left without appropriate supervision, and 바카라사이트ir studies have been completely disrupted,¡± he added.

In a linked case, 바카라사이트 Black Equity Organisation (BEO) ¨C a civil rights charity ¨C has issued a judicial review claim that challenges 바카라사이트 university¡¯s decision to suspend 바카라사이트 course on 바카라사이트 grounds that a consultation or equality impact assessment was?not carried?out.

The body has started a crowdfunding campaign aiming to raise ?5,000 to support this effort and has so far received just short of ?2,000 in pledges.

¡°The impact of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s decision is short-sighted and reaches beyond 바카라사이트 students on 바카라사이트 MRes and those studying for a PhD,¡± said Kehinde Adeogun, 바카라사이트 director of legal services for?BEO.

She said that 바카라사이트 course was ¡°an acknowledgement of 바카라사이트 lack of teaching, research and learning in 바카라사이트 history of Africa and 바카라사이트 African diaspora¡± and that suspending it without consultation ¡°when 바카라사이트 issues are still prevalent, decreases 바카라사이트 opportunity for change¡±.

A spokesperson for Chichester said 바카라사이트 claims made by 바카라사이트 law firm were ¡°both inaccurate and misleading¡±.

¡°For clarity, 바카라사이트 MRes programme referred to has not been ¡®terminated¡¯ for existing students but is only suspended to new applicants pending a review. PhD students study individual programmes of research and should not be conflated with 바카라사이트 MRes programme,¡± 바카라사이트y said.

¡°The university is committed to ensuring that all existing students are able to complete 바카라사이트ir studies successfully and that alternative teaching and supervisory arrangements are in place for 바카라사이트se students.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com