Advance HE’s Race Equality Charter helps institutions in their work to identify and address the barriers facing Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff and students, while also providing a framework for action and improvement. Institutions can apply for a bronze or silver award, depending on their progress.
Recent Race Equality Charter Bronze Awards
Two new Race Equality Charter Bronze Awards that recognise the start of the journey to advance race equality in higher education are conferred to the University of Dundee and Imperial College London in the latest round of results for the Race Equality Charter. Find out more here.
Find out more
For more information about Race Equality Charter, complete the form below and we will email you relevant links with further information about the Race Equality Charter. If you are already a Race Equality Charter member please find all the latest application guidance, forms and templates on Advance HE Connect in the Race Equality Charter Members Network group
Race Equality Charter Update
Advance HE’s Equality Charters are member-led frameworks, shaped by and accountable to the member institutions which commit to the shared principles of equality, diversity and inclusion. We have centred members’ input and feedback throughout the process of updating the Race Equality Charter framework, including through engagement events and the invaluable contributions and oversight of the Race Equality Charter Governance Committee.
We have now shared an engagement pack collating the working drafts of the updated application materials which we created from this input. We are keen that the sector has further opportunities to contribute before these materials are finalised, so we are sharing these draft materials for your reflection and feedback. We will reflect on the feedback gathered from member institutions and will share finalised materials in Summer 2023. REC members can access the engagement pack on the on the Advance HE Connect REC resources space.
Equality Charters and Freedom of Speech consultation
Advance HE is seeking expressions of interest to input into a consultation to understand how freedom of speech and academic freedom can be more explicitly embedded in the Athena Swan and Race Equality Charters.
Applying for an Race Equality Charter award
Advance HE Membership provides access to the Race Equality Charter. Once your institution is a member you can then apply for an institutional Race Equality Charter award.
Guiding Principles of the Race Equality Charter
The Race Equality Charter is underpinned by five fundamental guiding principles.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Black, Asian and 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.
- All individuals have multiple identities, and the intersection of those different identities should be considered wherever possible.
By joining Advance HE’s Race Equality Charter, institutions are committing to following these principles in how they approach race equality and address their institutional culture. An institution that joins the Race Equality Charter from 2021/22 and signs up to the Race Equality Charter by sending in their letter of commitment, is required to submit their application within five years (existing members should refer to their application submission deadline stipulated on joining the Race Equality Charter).
The Race Equality Charter covers:
- professional and support staff;
- academic staff;
- student progression and awarding;
- diversity of the curriculum.
The Race Equality Governance Committee
Race equality in higher education is boosted by a new governance committee set up to provide assurance, expert advice and guidance to the Advance HE Board for the development of the Race Equality Charter. Advance HE has appointed 12 members, including two co-Chairs, to the new Race Equality Charter Governance Committee with a wide range of equality, diversity and inclusion skills and lived experience.
More about the Race Equality Charter
Apply for the Race Equality Charter award
Transform race equality in your institution.
Good Practice Initiatives
Race Equality Charter good practice initiatives in higher education institutions.
Race Equality Charter Update
Progress on the update to the charter including the reviews.