We are working together to make UAL an anti-racist university. After consulting staff and students, we have developed a comprehensive anti-racism action plan. This sets clear objectives and expectations for us to tackle racial inequality at UAL.
Some of our plans are new, such as our pledge that 30% of our staff will be BAME* by 2024, but we are not starting from scratch. Many of us have long been working on social and racial justice, and will continue to do so.
Together with staff and students we have drawn up an anti-racism action plan with 10 key objectives. Including clear actions, responsibilities for delivery, timeframes, success criteria and expected outcomes.
Delivering our plan will change our systems and processes - and also our culture. We will make sure we have the right resources to make effective, sustainable progress.
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James Purnell, President and Vice-Chancellor, UAL
James Purnell
President & Vice-Chancellor of UAL
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Naina Patel, Director of HR
Naina Patel
Director of Human Resources
Our objectives
- Visible accountability and allyship on race equality
- Improve reporting, monitoring and resolution process
- Align anti-racism action plan with UAL EDI strategies
- Anti-racism education across the University
- Create clear statistics and KPIs
- Increase the proportion of BAME* staff
- Increase the proportion of BAME* students
- Extend numbers of BAME* Visiting Lecturers
- Decolonising the curriculum
- Eliminating the continuation and degree awarding gap
Our work in action
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Peng Chen, Show backstage, Banking Hall
Decolonising Arts Institute
Explore films from UAL Decolonising Arts Institute, seeking to challenge colonial and imperial legacies and drive cultural, social and institutional change.
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Group shot of Rafin Jannat with models from the Jarafin shoot. 2019. BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear. London College of Fashion. UAL. Photograph: Calvin Chinthaka.
Insights programme
Not everyone has equal opportunity to enter higher education. UAL Insights is the University’s outreach programme. It offers young people access to our Colleges for creative activities and pre-university advice and guidance.
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Alaa Satir, 2019 MA Illustration and visual media, London College of Communication UAL | Photograph: Deema Alasad
MA Internet Equalities
Providing students from a range of disciplinary backgrounds with the skills to understand and implement applied equality in technology development.
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BA (Hons) Illustration, Camberwell College of Arts, Body diversity by Cyrielle Viany. Photograph Copyright holder: David Poultney
Shades of Noir
Discover our Centre for Race and Practice Based Social Justice.
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BA (Hons) Fine Art, Shinuk Suh in the Studio, Copyright holder: Alys Tomlinson
Arts SU
Get involved in some of our students’ union campaigns, and connect with local creatives, community organisations and likeminded students.
Race Equality Charter (REC)
UAL is currently working towards Advance HE’s Race Equality Charter (REC). REC provides a framework through which higher education institutions work to identify and self-reflect on institutional and cultural barriers standing in the way of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff and students. UAL’s REC Core Self-Assessment Team is led by Professor Carol Tulloch and Naina Patel (Race Champion).
For further information contact: diversity@arts.ac.uk
Networks
Race Champions Forum (RCF)
The Race Champions Forum was established in November 2016 and is made up of around 40 members of staff and student representatives from across UAL committed to progressing race equality within the university. The forum meets termly to share good practice and report on progress towards UAL's bid for the Race Equality Charter. The forum is chaired by Naina Patel, Director of HR and UAL Race Champion.
If you want to get involved in the work of the RCF, contact Isabella Chan, Head of EDI: i.chan@arts.ac.uk
Group for the Equality of Minority Staff (GEMS)
GEMS was set up to promote the personal development and create a network of Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME*) staff.
For more information contact: gems@arts.ac.uk
Related news
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Publishing our Anti-racism action plan and a demanding target for BAME staff representation
Pledging that 30% of our staff will be BAME within 3 years.
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James Purnell. Image courtesy of BBC
Choosing our target well: Creative diversity at UAL
We have pledged that, within 3 years, 30% of our workforce will be BAME. James Purnell describes how we selected that target and how we propose to implement it.
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Our 10-point anti-racism action plan
The UAL Race Champion, Naina Patel, has lead a comprehensive consultation exercise with staff and students as part of the further development of the university’s anti-racism plan. The Students’ Union has had significant input and students are being consulted on programme and college level initiatives.
* Explanatory note for the usage of BAME
UAL recognises and acknowledges some of the terminology used here, such as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME), is contested and may be offensive to some people.
Such terms are currently widely used in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) world and across sectors for benchmarking, and there is no consensus view on alternative terminology.