24 Apr 2018
Loughborough becomes a member of the Race Equality Charter
Loughborough University has become a member of a Charter that aims to improve the representation, progression and success of minority ethnic staff and students.
Earlier today (24 April), members of the University community joined Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Allison as he signed the Equality Challenge Unit’s Race Equality Charter (REC) and its five principles.
The Charter provides a framework through which institutions work to identify and self-reflect on institutional and cultural barriers standing in the way of minority ethnic staff and students.
The fundamental guiding principles that underpin it are:
- Racial inequalities are a significant issue within higher education. Racial inequalities are not necessarily overt, isolated incidents. Racism is an everyday facet of UK society and racial inequalities manifest themselves in everyday situations, processes and behaviours.
- UK higher education cannot reach its full potential unless it can benefit from the talents of the whole population and until individuals from all ethnic backgrounds can benefit equally from the opportunities it affords.
- In developing solutions to racial inequalities, it is important that they are aimed at achieving long-term institutional culture change, avoiding a deficit model where solutions are aimed at changing the individual.
- Minority ethnic staff and students are not a homogenous group. People from different ethnic backgrounds have different experiences of and outcomes from/within higher education, and that complexity needs to be considered in analysing data and developing actions.
- All individuals have multiple identities, and the intersection of those different identities should be considered wherever possible.
By becoming a member of the Equality Challenge Unit’s Charter, Loughborough University has committed to following these principles in how it approaches race equality and addresses its institutional culture.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Allison commented: “I am thrilled to have signed the Charter on behalf of Loughborough University. It shows our commitment to progressing race equality and ensuring staff and students at both of our campuses feel safe, happy and welcome.”
The Charter covers professional and support staff, academic staff, student progression and attainment, and diversity of the curriculum.
Member institutions develop initiatives and solutions for action, and can apply for a Bronze or Silver REC award depending on their level of progress.
More information on the Equality Challenge Unit’s Race Equality Charter can be found on the website or by contacting the University's Equality and Diversity Adviser, Abida Akram, by emailing A.P.Akram@lboro.ac.uk.
Pictured from the left is Loughborough Students' Union (LSU) Women's Officer Kes Brown, Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Allison, University Equality and Diversity Adviser Abida Akram, and LSU Welfare and Diversity Executive Officer Hannah Keating.