We have joined four other North East Universities to support more Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students and staff to widen access and participation in postgraduate research.
About the project
Lead by Durham University and in partnership with
Northumbria University, Newcastle University, University of Sunderland and
Teesside University, the project aims to tackle inequalities in higher education
by building community and inclusion through mutually hosted events, training
and workshops.
The project will provide opportunities, activities and
events including training, e-conferences, peer mentoring and PhD studentships
for staff and students of colour over a period of four years.
The project has received over £2.5 million in funding, from
the Office for Students (£798,972) and partner universities, to strengthen the
pathway for prospective and current students of colour across North East
England into academic employment. The project will focus on four key areas:
mental health, development, mentoring and admissions.
A specialist mental health pathway has already been
established for students of colour in collaboration with Newcastle
Psychological Therapies Clinic. For the first time, postgraduate research
students of colour in North East England will be able to access independently
governed and culturally competent mental health services as a priority.
Each year one institution will host an online postgraduate
research conference for students of colour, providing networking and
development opportunities whilst sharing learning and best practice.
A reciprocal mentoring programme will bring together
students of colour with academic staff, providing mutually beneficial learning
and development whilst building relationships and community. Early career
researchers of colour will be paired with senior leaders to support mutual
learning, which will complement peer mentoring across the network.
The project is also ambitious in relation to admissions and
will build on the findings of prior research on name-blinding, unconscious bias
prevention and contextualised admissions to pilot innovative approaches to
admissions, alongside policy and practice reviews.
Dr Pushkar Jha, Faculty Director of Post Graduate Research
in the Faculty of Business and Law will lead Northumbria's contribution to the
project, along with Dr Rick Hayman and Dr Benjamin Ajibade, Senior Lecturers in
Health and Life Sciences and supported by Jenna Tudor, Equality, Diversity and
Inclusion Manager.
Professor Louise Bracken, our Pro Vice-Chancellor
(Research), said: "Pro:NE is an extremely important project that will
provide the necessary springboard to transform support for students and staff
of colour.
"We're delighted to be working collaboratively with
the other North East universities to share ideas, expertise and best practice
to achieve the shared aim of strengthening opportunity in the North East."
All five universities have a strong track record and
experience in delivering inclusion interventions that support, drive and
sustain greater equality for all, including traditionally underrepresented
groups.
Pro:NE will facilitate in breaking down elitism and
building local community, making each university a more welcoming place to be
for students and staff of colour.
For more information, please visit the Inspiring the extraordinary with project pro:NE page on the Durham University's website.
