University of Lincoln receives Race Equality Charter Bronze award
The University of Lincoln has received the prestigious Race Equality Charter Bronze Award for its efforts to tackle racial inequality. Having signed the Race Equality Charter in 2016, we are now one of only 21 UK universities to hold the Bronze Award status from Advance HE. The Award recognises the work the University has been engaged in over the last few years to identify and reflect on institutional and cultural barriers facing our Black, Asian and ethnic minority staff and students.
Staff and students from across the University have played a huge part in the University gaining this recognition, including the self-assessment team. This team, led by Deputy Vice Chancellor Simon Parkes, was comprised of staff and students from across the University community. The Eleanor Glanville Centre has been instrumental in driving the Race Equality Charter (REC) forward at Lincoln and producing the University’s submission and action plan as part of a wider Race Equality Project.
Professor Mary Stuart CBE, Vice Chancellor of the University of Lincoln, said: “I am delighted that we have achieved this important award as we work our way towards an inclusive university. The Race Equality Charter Bronze Award is great recognition of this, however the work has only begun. This is an important milestone for the University we must use as a platform to continue to push forward our work to become an anti-racist university and an institution where we have equity of outcomes for both staff and students. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the Charter and particularly to our colleagues from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds who gave their time and shared their personal experience to help us move forward.”
Simon Parkes, Deputy Vice Chancellor, said: “As Chair of the University’s Inclusion Committee and as a passionate ally, I am thrilled to see this positive outcome for the University. The self-assessment process has been tremendously helpful in focussing our attention on key issues such as student attainment and equity in staff promotion, for instance. This Bronze award does not mean we have solved the issues we face, but that we have honestly reflected on them and defined actions to improve race equity with the institution and our community.”
Professor Belinda Colston, Head of the Eleanor Glanville Centre and the Lead for the Race Equality Charter programme at Lincoln, said: “I am so delighted that our REC submission has been a success. We all know how much work it takes to get these awards. My thanks go out to all of the staff and students who contributed their time, their thoughts, and shared their experiences of life at Lincoln − this award is for all of us to celebrate!
"Although this was by no means the beginning of our work to tackle race-based inequalities across the institution, the Charter has given us the opportunity to reflect on where we’re at, deepen our understanding of the ways in which race-based inequalities play out in the everyday experiences of our students and staff, and above all, to develop an ambitious action plan to achieve the transformation we need. With this award, I am optimistic that our staff and students will continue to work together towards our ambition to become an anti-racist and truly inclusive university.”
