As part of a wider inclusivity agenda, City pledges commitment to the Race Equality Charter’s (REC) aim to improve representation, progression and success of minority ethnic staff and students within higher education.

The Charter is a national scheme by AdvanceHE. REC Provides a framework through which institutions work to identify and self-reflect on institutional and cultural barriers standing in the way of minority ethnic staff and students. REC is underpinned by five fundamental guiding principles.

1. Racial inequalities are a significant issue within higher education. Racial inequalities are not necessarily overt, isolated incidents. Racism is an everyday facet of UK society and racial inequalities manifest themselves in everyday situations, processes and behaviours.
2. UK higher education cannot reach its full potential unless it can benefit from the talents of the whole population and until individuals from all ethnic backgrounds can benefit equally from the opportunities it affords
3. In developing solutions to racial inequalities, it is important that they are aimed at achieving long-term institutional culture change, avoiding a deficit model where solutions are aimed at changing the individual
4. Minority ethnic staff and students are not a homogenous group. People from different ethnic backgrounds have different experiences of and outcomes from/ within higher education, and that complexity needs to be considered in analysing data and developing actions
5. All individuals have multiple identities, and the intersection of those different identities should be considered wherever possible.

City will apply for the Bronze accreditation through submission of a comprehensive self-assessment, coordinated through a Race Equality Charter Self-Assessment Team. City’s Race Equality Charter Self Assessment Team (RECSAT) held their first meeting in September 2019. Click here for more information on the RECSAT and the team’s progress.

Race equity work and taking an intersectional approach to diversity, equity creation, and inclusion work is a continuously growing, prioritised and critical focus. Race-led intersectional thinking and solution designing is proactively encouraged and while still early in our journey, we are working in a committed way towards this. Learn more about the EDI team here, their priorities, work, thinking and approach to inclusion work at City, University of London.

We always welcome your views and comments on race equality at City. To see how you can get involved and for further information contact rec@city.ac.uk.

Read about our successful application for the bronze award here!