In May 2021 we set out the principal objectives of our Race Action Plan. Now in 2022 we have set out our defined objectives for everyone to see, further reinforcing our commitment to the Race Action Plan and ensuring we, our community and our wider society hold us to account for the actions we take.
Our ambitious principal objectives have now been finalised into focused, practical, and measurable results to ensure we are successful in meeting our commitments and objectives.
Our plan sets out concrete measures to increase the representation, progression and success of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic students and staff, to create a diverse and culturally inclusive university.
We want to ensure Greenwich is a place where everyone can achieve their ambitions and that racism in any form is not part of that journey. The Race Action Plan calls for a cultural and behavioural change within the university environment, ensuring that our university is a welcoming and inclusive place where everyone, including our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff and students can work, study and achieve their full potential.
Our plan sets out our timetable of 2021-2026 and our 6 key areas of focus with in-depth scrutiny of our processes and approach to race action. The launch of our detailed Race Action Plan is the culmination of 18 months of hard work and collaborative effort, but it is only the start of our journey. The plan sets out what we need to do to achieve our aim to be anti-racist and inclusive in everything we do, and we need the help and support of our whole university community – staff, students, and partners – to deliver it.
Key Highlights of the Plan
Our Race Action Plan and Timelines and Owners Data sets out 6 key areas of focus for the university, each of which have a set of actions against them:
- Data Capture, Analysis & Insight: To understand where the university is currently and what progress it is making, we will collect, analyse and use data. We will:
- Publish the ethnicity pay gap and produce an action plan to address the issues identified
- Identify and agree what quantitative and qualitative data will be measured, when, why, how and how often
- Use the data to create a regular progress report to be presented to the Vice-Chancellor’s Group
- Governance, Leadership & Accountability: For university-wide change to occur, it needs to be led from the top down, to see equality, diversity and inclusion embedded throughout all our structures, processes and behaviours. We will
- Make tackling racism a priority issue requiring consideration throughout all departments and at all levels of seniority
- Hold senior management teams accountable in tackling racism and taking appropriate actions
- Commit to increasing the number of Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority staff in senior teams at faculty, directorate and university levels
- Create a fast-track Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority development programme to help those staff progress into leadership roles across the university
- Culture, Behaviour & Change: To foster cultural change, we need to appreciate our differences and celebrate each other. We need to learn from the lived-in experiences of our BAME staff and students. We will:
- Develop a staff and student ‘Anti-Racist Pledge’
- Visibly celebrate BAME staff and students
- Run on-campus campaigns to raise awareness of racial harassment
- Create and train BAME Champions to support BAME staff
- Policies, Practice & Procedures: We need to review our policies, procedures and practices and ensure that going forwards, they are inclusive, transparent and unbiased. We will:
- Develop institutional guidance and policy, raising awareness of and managing microaggressions.
- Review and update HR policies and practices to understand possible biases
- Use positive action measures, such as mentoring, development programmes and targeted advertising to support staff from BAME backgrounds to increase senior level representation.
- Create ‘safe space’ drop-in sessions for BAME staff as part of our ‘Report & Support’ scheme
- BAME Student Journey: Our aim is to offer our BAME students first class teaching and support and to ensure that any barriers to academic excellence are removed.
- To close the awarding gap that exists between white and BAME students
- All-faculty decolonisation of curriculum, co-created with BAME students and alumni.
- Race Equality Charter:
- The university will apply for the Race Equality Charter mark as a public commitment to our anti-racist and cultural change ambitions.
