Race Equality Charter Award
The Race Equality Charter (REC) is a framework created by Advance HE through which higher education institutions can identify and reflect on institutional and cultural barriers impacting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff and students.
Kingston University serves an immensely diverse student population and has always engaged with student race equality. We were one of the first six universities to receive the Race Equality Charter Bronze award in 2015/16.
The university has been commended for its sector-leading work on reducing the degree awarding gap for students. We are now applying this same drive and commitment to improving progression and outcomes for BAME staff across the organisation.
Race Equality Charter Action Plan
As an organisation, we have learned a huge amount from the Black Lives Matter movement of Summer 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic's disproportionate impact on BAME communities.
As a result, we are currently reviewing and updating the University's race equality action plan to ensure that it is fit for purpose, addresses structural inequities, and achieves sustainable change and progress.
Progress made so far
There has also been important progress at the University, driven by the newly formed Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Staff Network:
- The University has now explicitly stated its commitment to race equality by endorsing the Race Equality Pledge.
- We have introduced a Senior Leadership Team (SLT) Lead for Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Professor Simon Wortham
- We have created a Senior Leadership Team Sponsor for Race Equality
- We have appointed two Race Equality Charter co-chairs.
- The University has been undertaking a review and restructure of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) governance within the University's governance structure to ensure that the EDI objectives and actions are met and fully achieved. Results will be used to shape our EDI objectives and strategy for the next five years.
We look forward to sharing further progress and achievements moving forward.
