One of our core priorities as a University, as set out in our institutional strategy People, Place and Partnership: Delivering Sustainable Future for All is a commitment to take proactive stances on equality, diversity and inclusion.
One significant step forward regarding this has been our achievement of the distinguished Athena Swan Silver Award in 2023. Building upon this, we are now working hard as a University to achieve a Race Equality Charter Bronze Award.
This article provides an update on progress and what to watch out for over the coming semester!
The Race Equality Charter
Similar to the University's approach to Athena Swan, the Advance HE Race Equality Charter “aims to help universities and research institutes in their work to improve the representation, progression and success of Black, Asian and minority ethnic people in higher education” (Advanced HE, 2024).
To achieve the Race Equality Charter Bronze Award, the University needs to demonstrate that it has undertaken a thorough review of the evidence regarding our existing culture, processes and practices and that we have a clear and ambitious plan in place that will make a real difference in promoting race equality.
What have we done so far?
The University has established an institution-wide Race Equality Charter Institutional Self-Assessment Team that includes staff and student representatives from all areas of the university and is co-chaired by the Chair of the University’s Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Network, Dr James Uhomoibhi, and Professor Paul Connolly, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Over the months leading up to the summer, the Self-Assessment Team has been busy compiling a wide range of institutional data on staff and students. These data will provide a clear evidence base for identifying existing patterns and trends and any inequalities that exist across the institution for staff and students.
Alongside these institutional data, a further key element of the evidence that needs to be considered by the Self-Assessment Team in preparing an ambitious action plan, are the views and experiences of staff and students on race-related culture and lived experiences at Ulster University. A major part of the work of the Team has therefore been to design a major institutional survey for staff and students – the Race Equality Matters Survey 2024 – to capture this information.
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“Our Action Plan is going to be ambitious and will seek to make a real difference in promoting race equality. However, for it to be relevant and effective we need to hear from as many staff and students as possible. Your views as past students of the University are very important to us. Please do watch out for the survey and we would very much appreciate your time in completing it.”
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“For the University, race equality matters. If there was ever a time for us to take a positive and proactive stand to support our black and minority ethnic colleagues and students, it is now. We are actively engaging with current staff and students across the university to co-produce our Race Equality Matters Action Plan. However, your views, as alumni of our university, are equally important to us. We would therefore strongly encourage you to join us in this important work.”
What happens next?
Please watch out for further news regarding the launch of the Race Equality Matters Survey 2024 in November.
In the meantime, if you would like any further information on this, please do not hesitate to contact Dr Marta Kempny (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor).