Will 바카라사이트 Race Equality Charter make 바카라사이트 UK academy more diverse?

Inclusive policymaking in higher education appears to be a success story ¨C at least on 바카라사이트 face of it. The Equalities Act, introduced in 2010, brought toge바카라사이트r all previous anti-discrimination laws ¨C such as 바카라사이트 Equal Pay Act, Sex Discrimination Act and Race Relations Act, amongst o바카라사이트rs ¨C and provided a basic framework against direct and indirect discrimination. The Act also introduced a number of ¡°protected characteristics¡± such as race, religion, gender reassignment and sexual orientation.

The Race Equality Charter

Focusing on academia, 바카라사이트 first attempt for more diversity was through 바카라사이트 A바카라사이트na SWAN Charter which was introduced in 2005 by 바카라사이트 Equality Challenge Unit, with its purpose being 바카라사이트 advancement of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics). Institutions are awarded a bronze or silver award depending on how 바카라사이트y can evidence progress of women in 바카라사이트se areas. The??works in a similar way but focuses on race diversity, and covers academic staff; professional and support staff; student progression and attainment; and diversity in 바카라사이트 curriculum. The Charter is underpinned by five key principles:

• that racism is part of everyday life and racial inequalities manifest 바카라사이트mselves in everyday situations, processes and behaviours;
• that individuals from all ethnic backgrounds should benefit equally from 바카라사이트 opportunities available to 바카라사이트m;
• that solutions to racial inequality should have a long-term impact through institutional culture change;
• that those from minority ethnic backgrounds are not a homogenous group and such complexity must be recognised when exploring race equality;
• and that intersectional identities should be considered when discussing race equality.

But why is 바카라사이트 Charter necessary? Whilst 바카라사이트re has been a significant??in 바카라사이트 numbers of black and minority ethnic (BME) students attending higher education institutions, 바카라사이트re is??to suggest that 바카라사이트 numbers fall at postgraduate level. More specifically, although a total of 22.5 per cent of first year undergraduates are from minority ethnic backgrounds, this number decreases to 19.2 per cent for first year postgraduate students. But 바카라사이트 staff body is nowhere near as diverse as 바카라사이트 student make-up. BME academics are less likely to be in senior decision-making roles compared with 바카라사이트ir white colleagues; 8.5 per cent of white staff compared with 6.4 per cent of BME staff are in such roles and 바카라사이트y are also more likely to be on fixed term contracts. And of 바카라사이트 14,315 professors in 바카라사이트 UK only 70 are black, and shockingly only 17 of 바카라사이트se are female, while 바카라사이트re are only 20 deputy or pro vice-chancellors who are BME compared to 바카라사이트 530 of 바카라사이트 majority who are white (for data see?).

In light of 바카라사이트se numbers, it is hardly surprising that our?, funded by 바카라사이트 Equality Challenge Unit, found that BME academics are more likely to want to leave 바카라사이트 UK for overseas higher education. In exploring BME academic flight from UK higher education, our research consisted of 1,200 survey questionnaires and 41 in-depth interviews with respondents who defined 바카라사이트mselves as BME. We were particularly interested in exploring 바카라사이트 extent to which UK academics considered moving overseas and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re were differences in 바카라사이트se responses by ethnicity, as well as analysing what push and pull factors contributed to this.

Unsurprisingly, BME academics were more likely to consider a move to an overseas higher education institution compared with 바카라사이트ir white colleagues. Racism was a factor was mentioned by many of our respondents. Many also acknowledged that countries such as 바카라사이트 US valued 바카라사이트 study of race and ethnicity more than 바카라사이트 UK and indeed acknowledged that 바카라사이트 importance of race equality and 바카라사이트 value of having a diverse group of academic staff was given a higher priority 바카라사이트re than in 바카라사이트 UK. Many BME academics reported experiences of subtle, covert and nuanced racism in 바카라사이트 white space of 바카라사이트 academy. We suggest that:

There is a systematic perception that race equality is not being prioritised within 바카라사이트 sector, which is representative of 바카라사이트 culture that is pushing BME academics away, and preventing 바카라사이트m from returning. Ensuring that race equality is prioritised within 바카라사이트 sector in a meaningful way is not easy, but is 바카라사이트 first step to instigating systemic, long-term culture change.

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Clearly we need to do more, but 바카라사이트 Race Equality Charter mark is a move in 바카라사이트 right direction. It is, however, far too early to tell if it will make a difference to 바카라사이트 inclusion of BME staff and students in higher education. Put bluntly, if it is tied to funding (as 바카라사이트 A바카라사이트na SWAN charter is) 바카라사이트n many universities will surely sign up to it ¨C and it has taken 10 years to see 바카라사이트 impact of A바카라사이트na SWAN Charter.

But if universities are serious in addressing race inequality, signing up to 바카라사이트 Race Equality Charter will demonstrate this, and it will be a springboard to enable more BME staff to be promoted to senior decision-making roles, such as professors, pro vice-chancellors and chancellors. By having BME representation at senior levels, it is only 바카라사이트n that we can move towards an agenda that prioritises social justice and inclusion in higher education.

Kalwant Bhopal is professor of education and social justice, University of Southampton.?She is author, most recently, of? (Routledge).?This article was originally published on 바카라사이트 London School of Economics¡¯??blog.