We are proud to announce that the University has achieved its Race Equality Charter (REC) Bronze Award from Advance HE – a major milestone in our work to identify and address the barriers facing our racially minoritised students and staff.
The Race Equality Charter provides an externally recognised framework to help universities improve the representation, progression and success of racially minoritised people in higher education.
To reach this point the University’s REC Self-Assessment Team have been actively listening to and engaging with our racially minoritised students and staff about what it is like for them to work and study at Kent. There has also been the analysis of a large amount of data and benchmarking. This work has highlighted areas for urgent, future and continuous improvement and it has led to recognition and reinforcement for a number of outcomes and initiatives to improve race and intersectional equality across the University. These include our:
- Sector-leading Diversity Mark project
- Student Success initiatives
- Inclusive University academic staff module
- Report and Support for students and staff
- Living Black at Kent
- Anti-Racism Strategy
We will also shortly be launching our Professional Services Career Framework, described by the University’s HR Director Martin Atkinson as ‘an opportunity to improve the diversity of our staff base, including within our senior leadership teams, as well as our recruitment and career development for racially minoritised staff’.
Professor Georgina Randsley de Moura, the University’s Acting Vice-Chancellor and President said: ‘This award is an important reflection of the collective progress made to improve the culture, experience and outcomes for our racially minoritised students and staff. I would like to thank everyone who has made it possible through their commitment to anti racism and determination to help reduce racial inequalities and ensure that Kent is a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. There is much more to do but this achievement is an indication that we are heading in the right direction.’
Kent has also been chosen to host this year’s Living Black at University Commission conference on 8 October, the theme of which is ‘Engaging With Equity’. Conference delegates will have access to practical university case studies on actions taken as a result of Living Black at University and the Commission; workshops on inclusive leadership, cultural competency in services, EDI data maturity and strategic development of DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging); and a Black student panel, hosted by Student Minds.
Further information on our Bronze Award and the work we are doing to challenge racism can be found on our Challenging Racism webpages. If you would like to get involved please contact equalityanddiversity@kent.ac.uk.