Race Equality Charter

float-rightThe AdvanceHE Race Equality Charter (REC) aims to improve the representation, progression and success of Minority Ethnic staff and students in higher education. Aberystwyth University is a REC member and is planning on submitting its application for REC Bronze Award in the November 2024 round.

As REC members and in applying for a Bronze award, the University commits to the guiding principles below, and to self-reflect on institutional and cultural barriers standing in the way of minority ethnic staff and students - working to build a plan for action and improvement.

The 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.

The Race Equality Charter covers:

  • professional and support staff;
  • academic staff;
  • student progression and awarding;
  • diversity of the curriculum.