HERAG Think Tank: 23rd June 2014

Studentship to Professorship: mapping the gaps and making changes for BME staff and students

Agenda

10.00 – 10.30: Registration and tea/coffee

10.30 – 10.40: Welcome and introductions

10.45 – 11.30: Session 1

11.35 – 12.20: Session 2

12.25 – 13.10: Session 3

13.10 – 13.55: LUNCH (with poster session in Main Hall)

14.00 – 14.45: Session 4

14.50 – 15.35: Session 5

15.40 – 16.25: Session 6

16.25 – 16.30: Summary remarks and close

For each session, delegates will have a choice between two sessions, and the details of the sessions are overleaf.

There are limits on how many people are able to be in each session and we are hoping for an even split between the two sessions. Whilst we will endeavour to ensure you can attend your session of choice, if it is over-subscribed, we may need to ask you to attend the other session.

Session / Main hall / Tavistock room
1:
10.45 – 11.30 / How can the higher education sector expedite progress in race equality: a policy perspective
This session will outline the sector-wide policy landscape governing race equality within higher education, and the levers and motivators which drive institutions to engage (or not) in race equality initiatives. This will include methods to expedite change, such as the race equality charter mark.
The session will also use HEFCE analyses to map out issues around race equality at key transition points in the academic life cycle.
Claire Herbert, ECU and Dr. Siobhan O’Malley, HEFCE / I, too, am Manchester – Barriers to progression for BME staff
This session will give delegates an opportunity to have an honest and open discussion about why BME staff are not progressing into senior leadership roles.
Delegates will hear about what is happening to address these issues at the University of Manchester and share good practice from their own institutions.
Patrick Johnson, University of Manchester
2:
11.35 – 12.20 / Black and Minority ethnic Academics – Experiences, career progression and flight from the UK
This session explores the ways in which BME academics can be excluded from opportunities and access to career progression. The session will present the findings from recent research into academic flight and the push and pull factors which relate to BME academics’ migration away from the UK
Dr. Kalwant Bhopal, University of Southampton / Mainstreaming equality, diversity and inclusion in and through the new academic career framework at Kingston University
The new Academic Progression and Promotion procedure was initiated in August 2013 for all Grade 10 academic staff members (associate professor level) to apply for their transition to a new role profile and criteria.
Delegates will discuss the model and its potential transferability to other institutions.
Nona McDuff, Kingston University
3:
12.25 – 13.10 / Race, Racism and Higher Education Leadership: How can we make not break Black and Minority Ethnic leaders
Delegates at this session will gain an insight into the racialization process in HE and its impact on both organisational cultures and staff.
This session will consider the consequences for HE institutions that fail to recruit and nurture BME staff in leadership roles and review a range of strategies for doing so.
Dr. Gurnham Singh and Dr Josephine Kwhali, Coventry University / Smashing through the glass ceiling: a personal perspective
This session provides delegates with ideas on how the glass ceiling operates for BME academics through the speaker’s personal experiences of UK higher education.
Fernne Brennan, University of Essex
4:
14.00 – 14.45 / Practical recipes for student success – closing the student attainment gap at the University of Derby
This workshop will outline the ongoing project work at Derby and offer participants the opportunity to reflect on how the Practical Recipes for Student Success (PReSS) approach could be implemented in their own institution.
Jean Mutton, University of Derby / 90 minute workshop
Embedding equality considerations into academic programme development and delivery: a mainstreaming approach
Departmental teams at Glasgow School of Art were asked to assess the impact of their existent learning, teaching and support structures in relation to equality and diversity.
This workshop presents the findings from that project from the perspectives of three colleagues: one who advises on equality issues at management level; an external facilitator who worked with all of the teams, and a lecturer/programme leader with direct responsibility for curriculum and course structures.
Ranjana Thapalyal, Jill Hammond and Kath Bridger, Glasgow School of Art
5:
14.50 – 15.35 / Working with student ambassadors as partners in the academic Schools – one approach to tackling the ethnicity attainment gap
This session will begin with an overview of how the University of Birmingham has used student ambassadors to work with academics and student support, following their BME student mentoring project launched in 2010.
Following this, delegates will discuss the benefits and challenges of targeted interventions and the barriers and challenges of working with staff and students on race issues.
Jane Tope, University of Birmingham
6:
15.40 – 16.25 / Exploring the practical challenges of setting up a BME Learning Community to address retention and attainment
This session explores the practical challenges of setting up a Learning Community as part of an institution wide approach to improve the retention of BME students and reduce the attainment gap.
Debi Roberts, Kingston University
7:
16.25 – 16.30 / Close