About us
Transforming systems
The Centre for Equity & Inclusion is a research hub which seeks to enhance the university experience for postgraduate researchers (PGRs) of colour, whilst challenging racism and other systems of power within and beyond the institution.
Our vision
We seek to enhance the university experience and future prospects of postgraduate researchers (PGRs) of colour. We also aim to have a positive impact on racial justice efforts in the local community.
By working with our 10 local partners, we intend to reimagine the postgraduate programme, model good practice for university partnership work, and support racial justice projects in the local area.
This all serves our ultimate goal of cultivating significant systemic and cultural change in higher education and beyond.
Our vision will be carried out by:
1. Enhancing the professional development and sense of community of postgraduate researchers of colour
2. Increasing student and staff knowledge about systemic racism and other intersecting systems of power
3. Developing spaces for reflection, connection, and creative expression
4. Fostering knowledge exchange between staff, students, artists, racial justice organisations, cultural hubs and community groups.
5. Challenging and changing systemic racism via co-produced projects involving all Centre participants
Our values
Justice
The Centre’s overarching ambition is to further the cause of racial justice in higher education and the local community. Everyone connected to the Centre is committed to challenging and changing the deeply embedded cultures, practices and processes that result in racialised violence and exclusion. This not only relates to the postgraduate experience and internal university operations more generally, but also extends to university partnership work which has historically intensified issues of racial exploitation and oppression.
Community
We are committed to building connections between researchers, artists, racial justice organisations, cultural hubs and community groups invested in racial justice. As well as creating spaces to share experiences and expertise, we provide opportunities to work collaboratively and to celebrate each other’s achievements. This is important because the university can be an alienating space for people of colour. It can also isolate itself from and ignore the significant intellectual and cultural contributions of racially marginalised groups in the local area.
Creativity
In order to transform the systems and structures that have historically caused harm, we need to think and act differently. Creativity is essential to this process, as it expands our vision of what is possible. It also enables us to better process and communicate our everyday experiences, and emotional responses to them. This is particularly valuable when conducting racial justice work in oppressive institutions. The arts and creative expression more broadly are therefore critical components of Centre activity.
Transparency
We are committed to being as open as possible about how the Centre operates. We recognise that university processes and decision-making is often obscured, making it harder to identify and challenge the source of harmful behaviour. We will share information through multiple platforms, including reflective blogs, newsletters, social media, and town hall meetings, whilst inviting different groups to sit on our panels and boards.
Accessibility
We strive to make our communications, research, activities, and events as accessible as possible. This is the only way we can truly honour our values of transparency and justice.
Responsiveness
This Centre is new, experimental and very much a work in progress. Despite our best efforts, we know that we will get things wrong. We therefore welcome and will respond to feedback that identifies problems, presents new ideas, and holds us accountable to our expressed values and vision.