What does this Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence mean to you and the team?
"We are delighted that the work of our Collective has been given this recognition. We celebrate this achievement recognising that the success of one member of our Collective is an accomplishment for us all, in line with our UBUNTU philosophy, which can be summarised by the phrase, 'I am, Because We ARE'.”
You say that “We live in an intersectionally racist society, and the university is a microcosm of society” - how did that awareness help you to lay the foundations for the Collective?
"The Collective was born just after the racist murder of George Floyd and resurgence of the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2020. These and other societal landmarks of racial inequality shine a light on the importance of recognising that minoritised ethnic students and staff are emotionally and materially impacted by intersectional racism and this context must be taken into consideration within any education setting.
"Factors such as the enduring legacy of colonialism, the under-representation of minoritised ethnic staff at the highest levels of academia, the Award Gap, and disproportionate referrals of academic misconduct and fitness to practice are features of university life for minoritised ethnic staff and students, which directly mirror the experience and context of intersectional racism in society. The Collective’s emphasis on ‘intersectional’ racism points to the fact that racism does not operate in splendid isolation; racism relies on other forms of oppression to function, for example, poverty, trans/homophobia, and misogyny. The point is that no one is just their race or skin colour.
"Our awareness of the university as a ‘microcosm’ of intersectional racism provides a robust foundation for our Collective ensuring that the multifaceted identities and lived experiences of minoritised ethnic students are explicitly named and considered, which enables us to provide nuanced support and acknowledgement.
"Our intersectional lens stands in stark contrast to the mechanisms of fragmentation and compartmentalisation that racism depends on in society. Our analysis continues to influence the wider EDI action planning within our School of Health and Society in the University of Salford, leading to regular staff development sessions that consistently foreground the importance of holding an intersectional lens in our interactions with students."
How will this award impact students?
"The impact of this recognition on our students will be profound and multifaceted. It will inspire and motivate other students to participate in the Collective thereby fostering a more inclusive and supportive community for all our minoritised ethnic students. It will also impact via:
"Visibility: it will enhance the visibility of our minoritised ethnic students within the university and this increased awareness will lead to more resources, support and opportunities for minoritised ethnic students, ultimately contributing to a more equitable and diverse academic environment.
"Empowerment and representation: seeing academic staff and students’ union sabbatical officers in the Collective recognised, will empower other minoritised students to take on leadership roles and consider academic careers in the future.
"Networking and collaboration: the increased visibility of the Collective will attract attention from other student groups, other schools within the University, and external partners, leading to new collaborations and networking opportunities. This will enrich educational experiences and open up new avenues for personal and professional growth.
"Long-term cultural change: over time, the visibility of minoritised ethnic student support initiatives will contribute to a lasting cultural shift within the University. It will help to embed equity, diversity and inclusion into the fabric of the institution, making it a more welcoming and supportive environment for all students."
Why is testimony so important in the work of the collective?
"Giving testimony and bearing witness are foundational to our Collective. Our starting point, explicitly stated at the beginning of each of our weekly Collective meetings is ‘belief’.
"Giving voice to experience is often a traumatic experience for minoritised ethnic students and staff who are burdened with the disproportionate responsibility to justify, prove and evidence experiences of intersectional racism. In other words, the traumatic experience of not being believed and not viewed as credible. The Collective enables minoritised ethnic students to give strategic voice to their experiences of intersectional racism by drawing on the historical legacies of civil rights movements that used bearing witness to testimonies. The importance of bearing witness to testimonies fits with our mantras ‘together we are stronger’ and ‘silence will not protect’ because when one minoritised ethnic student plucks up the courage to speak out this encourages others to break silence, which in turn enables a sharing of wisdom, affirmation and support.
"The threads of our lived experience shared through testimonies become entwined together in a cloth of belonging and solidarity which is a constant reminder that we are stronger, more resilient and more powerful in the breaking of silence. The positive, often life changing results are increased self-esteem, self-belief and belonging.
"The importance of testimony in the work of the Collective provides an unequivocal evidence base for the equity, diversity and inclusion action planning of the School of Health and Society in the University of Salford."
What advice would you give to future nominees?
"Start early and work closely with your Teaching Excellence Awards Lead (TEAL) asking for their feedback as your claim develops. Special mention goes to John Dermo, the Deputy TEAL at the University of Salford who was a crucial support to our team as we prepared our claim."