The Shaping Futures update from the July 2018 Leadership Bulletin
Professor Christina Hughes
For this issue of the Leadership Bulletin, I’ve asked Professor Jacqueline Stevenson to give an update on the work she is leading on BME attainment:
Shaping Futures Board has been reviewing the outcomes from a number of our institution wide projects that were initiated this year (see how we are rethinking the student experience at ACHIEVE) and at our last meeting approved the next stage of our BME attainment gap work. You will know that analysis of the University’s overall data shows that the difference in attainment of good honours amongst Black and Minority (BME) students is 18.3%. It has been good to see this improve this year and we want to build on this given our mission is to transform all our students lives.
In response to this priority, the Shaping Futures Board approved a pilot programme of work in 2017/18. This engaged all academic departments, who implemented and evaluated one or more projects they had designed to reduce the BME-white attainment gap. We have to thank you all for your commitment to this as this has been amazing. 31 initiatives have been delivered alongside four new research projects. Tempted to say here, that’s the #HallamDifference!
We have now agreed a new plan for scaling up awareness, commitment, and activities and to provide a more robust infrastructure to support this activity. This comprises four institutional initiatives to be delivered across the University – a mentoring programme for BME students; a Hallam-wide writing programme; a Hallam-wide ‘decolonising the curriculum’ initiative; and work supporting good practice in placements. In addition there will be more training and advice for staff and students, further departmental interventions, and significantly more engagement with students. This work will be closely aligned to the University’s Race Equality Charter work as well as to the work of other key groups. It is being supported by strategic funding as well as the OFFA-accountable monies which faculties receive through the normal finance processes.
We will be communicating more on the work that has happened this year, together with the support available to faculties, departments, staff and students over the summer so that we are ready to support the implementation of next year’s plan from September.
If you are interested in this work and want any further information, please contact me.
Professor Jacqueline Stevenson jacqueline.stevenson@shu.ac.uk
Excerpt from the July 2018 Leadership Bulletin
