We are proud of our commitment to inclusivity and diversity as part of BU2025 and determined to continue to enhance our plans for making BU somewhere where all our staff and students can thrive, whatever their background. Universities UK’s Tackling racial harassment in higher education report highlighted the racial inequalities that exist across the sector and we are working to identify and reflect on the institutional and cultural barriers standing in the way of ethnic minority staff and students at BU. This will allow us to develop initiatives and solutions for tackling issues such as gaps around degree attainment and student employability, as well as staff recruitment and progression.
This work forms part of our support for the Race Equality Charter. The Race Equality Charter (REC) is an initiative of AdvanceHE and in 2016, we made a clear and unequivocal commitment to racial equality when we became a member of the REC.
To help our work, we are launching a survey for all staff and students to understand how you perceive and experience equality, diversity and inclusion, and what you think are the key challenges for BU around these themes. Dr Gelareh Roushan, Chair of the university’s REC Self-Assessment Team, encourages you to complete the survey, noting: “Your contribution will help us to understand the daily experiences of our staff and students. What we learn will inform the actions we take to tackle racial inequality, actions that will have a sustained and lasting impact on our culture.”
The survey will only take a few minutes of your time. We want to hear the views of all students and colleagues, from all backgrounds and ethnicities. Please do share your views, as your response is pivotal in shaping our community in our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. The closing date to complete the survey is 31 March.
If you are interested in finding out how you can help tackle any racial inequalities at BU, we encourage you to complete the Union Black online training programme, challenging you to think beyond your perceptions, gain new perspectives and become an informed ally.
