Race Equality Charter Bronze award

The Charter is a national scheme run by the Equality Challenge Unit, and addresses the representation, progression and retention of staff and students of ethnic minority backgrounds within higher education.

Cambridge is one of 27 universities that are currently Race Equality Charter members. Nine of these institutions are currently REC award holders.

The work on the Race Equality Charter will be coordinated by a Self-Assessment Team (SAT) chaired by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Institutional and International Relations, Professor Eilís Ferran, and the University Race Equality Champion, Professor Roel Sterckx.

The SAT will split into sub-working groups that will focus on specific areas of REC application.

Professor Ferran said: “The University is committed to creating an environment where students and staff can realise their potential regardless of their ethnic, racial or national background.

Applying for the award provides a powerful framework to facilitate further progress in the area of equality and inclusion.”

The SAT and its sub-groups include 25 members from across the University, among them academic and professional and support staff, postdocs, graduate and undergraduate students.

Individuals were invited to join the SAT on the basis of their expertise and relevant experience as well as position in the University structure to ensure that the SAT is representative of the different categories of staff and students across the University. 

As part of the application process, the SAT and its sub-groups will undertake an analysis of data and institutional procedures, and develop initiatives to address any issues revealed by the analysis.

There will be numerous occasions for staff and students to be involved and provide feedback on University work in the area of race equality in the form of surveys, focus groups, and University- and School-wide events.

To ensure that the opinions of students and staff are captured and can inform University initiatives in the area of race equality, Race Equality Charter surveys will be run in March and April 2017.

Professor Eilís Ferran will contact students this week encouraging them to complete the survey. By taking part in the survey, students will help to identify areas for improvement in University practices and procedures, and potential ways of making those improvements.

Sophia D’Angelo, International Officer at the Graduate Union and a Postgraduate representative on the SAT, said: “As a new international student here at Cambridge, it’s encouraging to see all of the initiatives that the University is taking to ensure that it is a diverse and inclusive community.

Athena SWAN and the Race Equality Charter are good examples of our commitment to building culturally sensitive environments and cultivating values of tolerance and compassion.”

Amatey Doku, President of CUSU, said: "CUSU has been championing issues to do with racism and prejudice at Cambridge for many years and it is good to see the University taking a proactive step which will not only identify issues of concern but also give the opportunity for the University to seek to address these issues in clear and concrete ways."