addressing afrI-phobia/AFRo-Phobia in UK Higher education institutions © H. B. Adediran Olaiya, m. a. postgraduate Researcher idpad coalition uk

CONTENT BACKGROUND 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT RACE EQUALITY CHARTER MARK SOCIETAL, ECONOMIC & ACADEMIC IMPACT CONCLUSIONS RECOMMENDATIONS

“the need to raise awareness in order to galvanise people to hold their governments to account with regards to stating their positions on publishing their programme of activities. write MPs to ask the Government what is the UK doing to hold up to its IDPAD commitments as a UN member state, and use her social media networks to encourage others to do the same post a petition in conjunction with an organisation - i.e. IDPAD Coalition UK may provide more weight” Harrow, BHM, 2017 Image created by Ade Olaiya, M.A.

AfrI-phobia in education “the educational curriculum is designed to tell you what to think, not how to think” (Harrow BHM: 2016). Use of biased educational curricula including negative stereotypical images, and derogatory terms to describe People of African descent. the absence of our contributions contributes to our youths feelings of negative self worth and low academic attainment levels. PAD account for 16% of Bristol’s current population, BUT experience disproportionate disadvantage in education & other rights African diaspora youth experience the 3rd highest level of educational inequality in England; & disproportionately low attainment levels for GCSE exams. Social class, teachers’ expectations of their pupils, poverty and deprivation were key themes identified for potential policy interventions by Bristol’s African diaspora communities.

The WGEPAD’s 20TH Session Draft Recommendation asserts States Ade Olaiya, M.A. supports the International Decade for People of African Descent The WGEPAD’s 20TH Session Draft Recommendation asserts States ensure that PAD have access to quality education which enables them to compete at an equal footing with others in the labor market. acknowledge the persistence of structural racism and multiple forms of discrimination within the education system and therefore put in place appropriate legislation and affirmative action policies to address this. ratify international agreements related to the fight against racism and discrimination in education; WGEPAD calls for universal ratification of the ICECSR, 1966 (…) and the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education.

European Commission against Racism & Intolerance (ECRI) GENERAL POLICY RECOMMENDATION No. 7, 2002 Discrimination is prohibited: 17. on the grounds of racial, ethnic or national origin in all areas. 18. in the membership of an organisation of workers or employers (…) and the benefits provided for by such organisations. 19. in private and public preschool, primary, secondary and higher education. Furthermore, access to education should not depend on the immigration status of the children or their parents.

Le CRAN states it has successfully advocated in France including French overseas departments such as Guadeloupe and Martinique, for educational curricula which is more inclusive of the cultural heritage of PAD. “school curriculum for all should take into consideration an accurate account of history of Transatlantic Trade in enslaved Africans, enslavement, and colonialism” Article 2, Loi Taubira 2001

2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Aspires to be a global, holistic and an integrated approach which fills gaps in the existing education framework. Targets investment in tertiary and vocational education, as well as primary and secondary education. African diaspora communities represent socioeconomically marginalized groups who require better access to quality education “SDGs” created by Author, 2017.

GLOBAL MONITORING INDICATORs sdg 4 … promotes lifelong opportunities for inclusive and equitable quality education. SDG tARGETS GLOBAL MONITORING INDICATORs Target 4.3: implement to ensure equal access for all to affordable quality tertiary education by 2030. Target 4.7: implement to integrate into education programs, knowledge and skills necessary for sustainable development, human rights & gender equality by 2030. GMI 4.71: the extent to which global citizenship education education for sustainable development is mainstreamed at all levels in: a) national education policies b) curricula c) teacher education d) student assessment

WHY DO WE NEED POLICY DEVELOPMENT TO ADDRESS AFRI-PHOBIA IN HIGHER EDUCATION ? ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE can reproduce social boundaries between different ethnicities, which further contribute to structural inequalities. NON PERFORMATIVITY OF DISCOURSES OF DIVERSITY e.g. failing to acknowledge where systemic racism contributes to differences in participation and outcome, between peers from different ethnicities. UNDER-PERFORMANCE in achieving Access Agreement targets, recruitment &progression of Black academic staff. Staff profiles rarely match those of students even in “culturally diverse” institutions. NON PERFORMATIVITY OF DISCOURSES OF DIVERSITY UNDER-PERFORMANCE ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE

In 2016, UK Civil Society’s Shadow Report to CERD recommended “ Universities should make race equality an institutional commitment. They should comply with the PSED, conduct audits on their race equality within their staff and student body, from which universities can develop a race equality framework that is implemented by all staff at all levels” African Caribbean applicants with the same A-Level grades as their white British peers, are less likely to be offered a place at a Russell Group or other highly selective HE institution. People of African descent represent 1.5% of the total number of university students in the UK, but only 0.5% of students attending Russell Group institutions. Students of African descent represent one of the highest dropout rates from university.

Research Excellence Framework (REF) African heritage researchers showed statistically significant lower selection rates in 2014, < 1% of 52 185 eligible staff submissions self identified as PAD. UK nationals -35% of African descendant compared to 56% of White & 68% of Chinese researchers work was submitted. Non domicile EU national staff –15 out of 30 submissions by Black researchers, compared to 20 of 20 Chinese, 35 of 45 Asian and 8,615 of 11,470 White researchers. Non-EU staff – African-descendant research active staff had the lowest selection rate at 46% compared to 76 % of their White counterparts. -assesses the quality of research submitted by UK HEIs through a process of expert review. -scope of quantitative analysis assesses whether HEI’s process for selection of eligible academic staff results in unbiased outcomes from an equality and diversity perspective. -assesses staff selection in terms of disability, age, sex, ethnicity, nationality and early career researcher status.

IDPAD Coalition UK Project CfP32: De- Colonising the Tertiary Syllabus “Why isn’t my professor black? Why is my curricula white? How is it that a conscious Black man with a first class degree could not have heard of Walcott, Fanon and Baldwin? There are fewer than 100 black staff in full professor positions – a fraction of 1 per cent of full-time staff in UK academia. Black staff are treated with contempt and disgust and career progression is almost non-existent among our demographic …” “African Family” created by Ade Olaiya, M.A.

POLICY interventions IN UK higher education institutions Widening Participation of under-represented groups (including people of African descent) in all aspects of higher education, through Access agreement targets for early career researchers initiated in 2013. Equality Challenge Unit’s Athena Swan & Race Equality Charter Mark Principle 6 of The Concordat supports the career development of researchers, promotes equality & diversity to stakeholders , in all aspects of the recruitment & career management of researchers.

ATHENA SWAN (gender equality) Race equality charter mark Ade Olaiya, M.A. supports the International Decade for People of African Descent ATHENA SWAN (gender equality) Race equality charter mark Established in 2005 to address gender inequality 600 + silver and bronze awards to HEIs & departments 143 member institutions current focus on intersectionality between gender and race at institutional level Athena SWAN now has a scheme in Australia, and a similar programme is being piloted in the USA Pilot assessment launched in 2015 9 HEIs awarded bronze to date 36 member institutions

Race Equality Charter Mark OBJECTIVES 1.Equity of outcomes for all ethnicities to the opportunities higher education affords. 2.Policy development to achieve race equality in higher education research institutions. 3.Data analysis to consider appropriate actions with sensitivity to the diverse backgrounds and experiences of BAME staff and students ( e.g. through intersectionality). 4.Long-term institutional culture change NOT long term solutions aimed at changing individuals. 5. Impact representative of inclusive diversity through successful outcomes for institutions. Race Equality Charter Mark “improving representation, progression and success of black and minority ethnic staff and students within higher education” (Equality Challenge Unit , 2014)

key actions Self-Assessment Team chaired by Senior Leader of the university staff Consultations with BME staff & students to identify existing issues & plan initiatives BME staff & students surveys for insights into university culture employing disaggregated equality data collection Quantitative and qualitative data analyses on student and staff experiences and desired outcomes HEIs must illustrate ambition and desire for more inclusive outcomes over 3 years Image created by Ade Olaiya, M.A.

Societal, economic & Academic impact 100% increase in students from an ethnically diverse background studying in the U.K. since 2007 UKHE Business Schools benefitted from approximately £2 billion annually by providing the most popular university programmes to 40% of the international students here Cultural branching of pedagogy with a focus on addressing cultural diversity in the classroom Race & Equality Journal, published by the Centre for Research in Race and Education (CRRE) , University of Birmingham . . “BCU Black Studies Association Symposium” created by Author.

conclusions recruitment and career development of African diaspora academics is imperative to achieve sustainability. Enhanced & visible prospects must be enabled to increase African heritage academics employed in research careers. Inclusive, transparent and fair policy development can promote race equality and diversity in education. Fully disaggregated equality data collection, analysis is imperative to reduce Afri-phobia in education.

community participation “Consistent with the Declaration on the Right to Development, States should adopt measures (…) including PAD in development and decision making (…) and in the fair distribution of benefits resulting therefrom” A/Res/69/16(22) Image created by Author.

recommendations for action planning promote sdg 16 Analysis implement Does the 2030 Agenda empower PAD‘s role as decision makers, for inclusive, responsive and participatory policy development? anti-discrimination norms & institutional policies, e.g. ICERD 1965, &ENAR’s Framework of national strategies to address Afri-phobia. fully disaggregated statistical data collection and analysis to monitor and reduce Afri- phobia in public bodies.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Bothwell (2017) Athena SWAN funding link under scrutiny in discrimination row. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/athena-swan-funding-link-under-scrutiny-discrimination-row :Times Higher Education [ 19/09/15] Buckner-Inniss, Lolita (2007-2017) The Black Past: Taubira, Christiane. http://www.blackpast.org/gah/taubira-christiane-taubira-delannon-christiane-1952: [2/05/17] Department for International Development (2017) DFID Data Disaggregation Action Plan; Better data for better lives. Crown Copyright. CoDE in collaboration with the Runnymede Trust (2017) Bristol: A City Divided: Ethnic Minority Disadvantage in Employment & Education. University of Manchester, UK. Equality Challenge Unit (2014) Equality in Education Statistical Report, ECU. Equality and Diversity Forum (2010) How to use the Equality Act 2010: A guide for voluntary and community organisations ECRI (2003) GENERAL POLICY RECOMMENDATION No. 7 ON NATIONAL LEGISLATION TO COMBAT RACISM AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION. COE. Strasbourg. Harrow BHM (2017) HEFCE (2015) Selection of staff for inclusion in the REF 2014 http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/HEFCE,2014/Content/Pubs/2015/201517/HEFCE2015_17.pdf: HEFCE 2015 [22/08/15] IDPAD Coalition UK First Interactive Conference, 2017. University of London, UK. Jabbar , A. and Mirza. M. (2017) Managing diversity: academic’s perspective on culture and teaching. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13613324.2017.1395325?needAccess=true : Race, Ethnicity & Education. [20/11/17] Kimura, M. (2014) Non –performativity of university and subjectification of students: the question of equality and diversity in UK universities. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 35.4,523-540, DOI:10.1080/01425692.2013.777207 Parr, C. (2015) Race discrimination in universities still a problem, reports survey. https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/race-discrimination-in-universities-still-a-problem-reports-survey/2012474.article#comment-form : Times Higher Education [ 19/09/15] The Runnymede Trust (2016) Shadow Report: Submission to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination with regard to the UK Government’s 21st to 23rd Periodic Reports. http://www.ukren.org/uploads/images/CERD%20Civil%20Society%20Report%20UKfinal.pdf : [21/11/17] United Nations (2015) 2015 –2024 International Decade for People of African Descent. http://www.un.org/en/events/africandescentdecade/: UN Web Services [20/08/15] United Nations (2015) 2015 Time for Global Action for People and Action. http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/: UN Web Services [5/09/15] UNDESA (2014) Introduction and Proposed Goals and Targets on Sustainable Development for the Post 2015 Development Agenda. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=111&nr=4523&menu=35: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs [25/08/15] UNESCO& UNICEF (2013) Making Education a Priority in the Post-2015 Development Agenda: Report of the Global Thematic Consultation on Education in the Post-2015 Development Agenda. UNESCO UWE (2014) Assessing Impact and Measuring Success (AIMS) in widening participation research. http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/cahe/research/brille/researchprojects/aims.aspx : UWE [18/09/15] Vitae (2015) Equality & Diversity in the research environment. https://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers-professional-development/engagement-influence-and-impact/working-with-others/equality-and-diversity-in-the-research-environment/equality-and- diversity-in-the-research-environment: Careers Research and Advisory Centre Ltd [19/09/15]