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NTU's Vice-Chancellor launches the Race Equality Action Plan

Professor Edward Peck explains how the events of 2020 have led to this plan and why race equality is a priority for the academic year and beyond.

    NTU's Vice-Chancellor Professor Edward Peck launches the Race Equality Action Plan

    I have been asked by a number of colleagues about my priorities for this academic year. I suspect they think I will say Covid-19, Covid-19, and Covid-19. They are partially right. They are Covid-19, race equality at NTU, and our anticipation of and response to the forthcoming White Paper on Higher Technical Education and Skills.

    The resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement following the murder of George Floyd meant I received the most powerful and persuasive communications from colleagues and students that I have read during my time at NTU. They articulated experiences of NTU – and of wider society – that made me question my own response, and that of the University, to racial inequality, discrimination and harassment. I had already agreed to co-chair – with Professor Nahem Yousaf – the Race Equality Charter (REC) Self-Assessment Team. However, focusing on long-term analysis and actions as we pursued REC accreditation did not seem sufficient. NTU needed something more immediate.

    The result is the Race Equality Action Plan. It has been developed following conversations with Black, Asian, South Asian, and other ethnically and culturally diverse members of NTU’s student and colleague community, our University Executive and Leadership Teams, and our Board of Governors. It contains commitments to actions during this term - indeed some are already in motion. For example, with the support of NTU colleagues from across the institution, the Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (REACH) network and our Nottingham Trent Students’ Union (NTSU) partners, we have been able to offer 52 separate celebratory and educational events during Black History Month. This is a positive start to our Black History Month 365 (BHM365) programme currently being designed ready for implementation in the first half of 2021.

    This plan is not the final word on what we will do. Our work on putting together the programme to support our submission for REC accreditation will continue. But it is the first step in our journey to ensure that colleagues and students never feel they have to write to the Vice-Chancellor of NTU in the same terms again.

    I would like to thank all those who have shared their insights and their wisdom as this plan has been put together. Please do keep sharing your perspective.

    Best Wishes

    Professor Edward Peck

    Vice-Chancellor

    • Notes for editors

      About Nottingham Trent University

      Nottingham Trent University (NTU) was named University of the Year 2019 in the Guardian University Awards. The award was based on performance and improvement in the Guardian University Guide, retention of students from low-participation areas and attainment of BME students.

      NTU was also the Times Higher Education University of the Year 2017, and The Times and Sunday Times Modern University of the Year 2018. These awards recognise NTU for its high levels of student satisfaction, its quality of teaching, its engagement with employers, and its overall student experience.

      The university has been rated Gold in the Government’s Teaching Excellence Framework – the highest ranking available.

      It is one of the largest UK universities. With nearly 32,000 students and more than 4,000 staff located across four campuses, the University contributes £900m to the UK economy every year. With an international student population of more than 3,000 from around 100 countries, the University prides itself on its global outlook.

      The university is passionate about creating opportunities and its extensive outreach programme is designed to enable NTU to be a vehicle for social mobility. NTU is among the UK’s top five recruiters of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and was awarded University of the Year in the UK Social Mobility Awards 2019.

      A total of 82% of its graduates go on to graduate entry employment or graduate entry education or training within six months of leaving. Student satisfaction is high: NTU achieved an 87% satisfaction score in the 2020 National Student Survey, above the sector average of 83%.

    Published on 4 December 2020
    • Category: Press office