The Equality and Human Rights Commission (2019) found that racism continues to exist across UK higher education, despite the presence of equality policies and the Equality Act 2010. Sadly, this is no surprise. Compared with my own country, Italy, where we are still far from solving this issue, I can see that in the UK there is at least an effort to address it.
The UAL Anti Racism Action Plan (University of the Arts London, 2021), created after consultation with students and staff, seems to me a good starting point to open discussion and move in the right direction. The plan aims to increase the representation of BAME staff and to embed anti racism within leadership accountability. It includes mandatory race equity training for all staff and students and the creation of a unified platform for reporting racial harassment. It also commits to decolonising the curriculum and closing awarding gaps for BAME students.
However, when racism is embedded in society, it is not easy to remove. Academia, like many institutions, reflects the society it exists within. The UAL Anti Racism Action Plan risks remaining just words on paper if we do not take responsibility and turn it into action.
What can I do as a lecturer to make this happen? There are many actions I can take, and I am already taking some steps in this direction. For example, I try to avoid a western centred approach in my teaching, and I work towards fairer forms of assessment that reflect the diverse backgrounds of my students.
Reading Bradbury’s (2020) article The case of bilingual learners and assessment policy in England made me reflect more deeply. She explains how assessments like the Reception Baseline Test, delivered only in English, overlook the cultural and linguistic knowledge of bilingual children and often treat language difference as a lack of ability. This bias can follow learners into higher education. The topic of writing using the “right” language is quite challenging in the journalism department where I teach, as we have international students who do not have English as their first language.
Beyond the single actions that would need more time to be discussed, I think what matters is to stand on the right side and be an active anti racist. This is important because the first step is to have the courage to speak up not just for myself, but also for my students and colleagues when I see something wrong. This might sound obvious, but it requires both knowledge and courage.
Acknowledging that I have limits, that I might carry unconscious bias and stereotypes, is part of this journey. I need to keep reading, asking questions and listening to better understand the needs and feelings of others.
This point is also raised by Sadiq (2023) in his TED Talk on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. He says, “I have never been offended by someone asking me a question, but I have been offended by someone making an assumption of what my needs are.” This idea really resonated with me.
It is something I have highlighted in a previous blog post, where I stressed the importance of empathetic communication as the only way to build understanding and work in the direction of non racist academia.
References
Bradbury, A., 2020. A critical race theory framework for education policy analysis: The case of bilingual learners and assessment policy in England. Race Ethnicity and Education, 23(2), pp.241-260.
Equality and Human Rights Commission (2019) Tackling racial harassment: Universities challenged. Available at: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/ (Accessed: 19 June 2025).
Sadiq, A. (2023) Diversity, equity and inclusion: Learning how to get it right. TEDx Talk. Available at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR4wz1b54hw (Accessed: 19 June 2025).
University of the Arts London (2021) UAL Anti Racism Action Plan: Summary. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0032/296537/UAL-Anti-racism-action-plan-summary-2021.pdf (Accessed: 19 June 2025).
I totally agree and as Rory’s post (and your comment of his blog post shows), we can’t wait for any inefficient corporate training, we have to enlighten ourselves by self-learning, experimentation and application of inclusive teaching. And Sadiq in his Tedx Talk give us 4 advise:
1- Foster Self Learning and dialogue.
2- Don’t rely on receiving training but educate yourself in the long run: Self learning is our own responsibility. Not other people’s duties. It is a life long journey, now a training of a weekend.
3- Embrace the uncomfortable.
Your statement that ‘The topic of writing using the “right” language is quite challenging in the journalism department where I teach’ is really interesting. So what do you do ? Do you say using the ‘right’ language by them means been neutral and factual or politically correct ? Or just using the correct and full dominance of English grammar that they may lack?
Standing up to anti-racism is the right action. And it will need a high level of diplomacy skills, tact and knowledge in current affairs. This will evidently require high levels of empathetic communication you mention when dealing with students that turn against each other (sigh…) during our current war time: Israel vs Iran and Palestinians; Ukrainians vs Russians, Right-Wing vs Left Wing, Nationalists vs Refugees etc… More than ever, we need to self-educate and commit to empathetic dialogue.
Thanks for your comment, Emily
This blog post was really interesting and inspiring, with many insightful points that really resonated with me. I agree that the UAL anti-racism plan makes some really good points of ways we can move forward, but as you say could end up being words on paper. I think the way you acknowledge though, that any implementation of the plan can be helpful, is really positive. Personally I feel sometimes we get very caught up in criticising these policies, which is necessary, but it is also important to take a step back and acknowledge what changes can be made and how these can have a positive impact. The steps you mention you take as a lecturer are perfect examples of this; small changes in your role which can have a huge impact on learners experiences. I also agree it is really important to continuously educate ourselves to understand the needs of others, and using empathetic communication to do this is incredibly effective.
Thank you, Rosa. I really appreciate your thoughtful reflection. I completely agree that while critique is essential, recognising and enacting even small, positive steps can drive meaningful change in our everyday teaching.
I liked the way you opened your blog with a quote from Angela Davis. This quote is so true. We must continue to advocate for anti-racism. Being conscious each day to identify inequality in its various forms is paramount and it is our duty as you highlighted to call it out when discovered. We live in a racist society, and it is weaved in all areas of life, admittedly in different forms but it is still present.
According to Candra Flanagan,
‘Race is a social construct with a powerful impact on individuals and our society. Understanding the impact of race and racism in our educational settings is crucial to the betterment of our students and our future.’ (Flanagan, 2017.p.1)
I too have read the new UAL Anti Racism Action Plan and there are areas where they are trying to make a difference. The increase representation of BAME, the mandatory Race equity training for all staff among other interventions as you mentioned. This is a good stance, and we must start somewhere. As discussed in previous blogs from our peers the race equity training is great, but it needs to be more experiential to really have an impact. Shared experiences should be a part of the training to really emphasise the results of racism.
You are totally right Claudia, racism is embedded in society and as a result it is difficult to remove, so what we sometimes try to do is provide a band aid instead of applying direct action. This is hard to do within a large institution, but it is not impossible if we all do our part. I love the way you ask the question, what can I do to create action? I think if we all as educators took this kind of ownership then we would then begin to see some positive results and progression. It is not them it is I. As you so eloquently phrased in your blog, I also have a responsibility to demonstrate empathy in my communication and to build understanding this is the key to real change.
Reference
Flanagan, C., 2017. The time is now: Empowering educators to examine and address race in their classrooms. Journal of Museum Education, 42(1), p.2.
Thank you so much, Gem. Your response is really powerful and encouraging. I completely agree that taking ownership as individuals within a wider institution is key, and your point about experiential learning and shared stories in race equity training really resonates with me
Thank you so much, Gem. Your response is really powerful and encouraging. I completely agree that taking ownership as individuals within a wider institution is key, and your point about experiential learning and shared stories in race equity training really resonates with me