Practical insights from and for
Everything you need for each step
Being Black in the academy Navigating higher education as a racial minority can be fraught, but for Black men and women, often the least represented minority group in an institution, the academy can be especially isolating and unwelcoming. Students, staff and academics at every career level report suffering impostor syndrome, have seen their careers stalled by conscious or unconscious bias and are often overburdened with unpaid labour on EDI initiatives. This collection of Campus resources and views provides actions that can be taken to improve diversity and belonging for Black staff and students, advice for Black academics on navigating the career ladder, tips for creating an anti-racist university and more.
Copyright © 2025 THE - Times Higher Education. All rights reserved. Making admissions processes fair on Black students
How we can use alternative criteria and targeted outreach to promote fair access to higher education for Black students
Five ways coaching can improve the university experience of Black students
The ethnicity awarding gap continues to be an issue in UK universities , especially for Black students . Could coaching be the answer ?
Black students are succeeding in spite of academia , rather than because of it – we need a …
The narrative that widening participation is enough is creating isolation and disillusionment among Black PhD students . How can universities move beyond it …
Empower minority staff and students to thrive at your institution
Practical strategies to reduce representation burdens , build diverse talent pipelines and foster inclusive environments in higher education
Culturally sensitive support for Black international students
Ongoing support , cultural sensitivity and strategic planning can create an environment where Black international students feel valued and empowered to …
Improving the digital experience for Black international students
Strategies UK institutions should take to enable Black international students ’ smooth transition into university
Challenge strategic silencing to improve the experiences of global majority students
Universities have the power to create a more inclusive and empathetic world by promoting open dialogue , accountability and cultural diversity , write Christina …
How to build inclusive mentorship programmes for Black students
To create inclusive mentorship programmes for Black university students , we must ensure they are culturally relevant , address unique challenges and foster peer …
Finding – and raising – my voice as a Black female leader in higher education
Women of colour face a formidable set of challenges in the quest to find their place and voice in higher education . Menah Pratt shares the lessons learned in her …
How to help young women see themselves as coders , inventors and engineers
Female students can be overlooked in STEM fields . Janille Smith - Colin shares four ways to empower tomorrow ’ s engineering leaders to find their voice and the …
Effective levers to foster women – specifically women of colour – into leadership roles
Gender and race disparities persist in leadership roles within academic institutions . Here , Menah Pratt shares her advice on effective levers to foster women of colour into …
The tough road to leadership as a woman in higher education
Representation matters , writes Marcheta Evans . Here , she offers advice for institutions and educators about the life lessons they need to pass to female scholars ( and one for …
Leaving a legacy as a Black female leader in higher education
Women of colour can leave a legacy that endures far beyond their tenures , writes Menah Pratt . Here , she shares her experience with racism and sexism and describes …
The transformative power of mentoring in historically black colleges and universities
HBCUs ’ culture of generosity and community has much to offer all colleges and universities , write Marybeth Gasman and Levon T . Esters . Here , they distill their …
Celebrate Black History Year and tackle racial inequality all year long
Instead of consigning the recognition of Black histories to one single month , Deborah Husbands , Stephen Bunbury and Dibyesh Anand advocate for a Black History Year
What we can learn from Black women academics in the UK
As a Black female lecturer , Shelley McLetchie - Holder outlines lessons she has drawn from other Black women academics working in the UK and explains how institutions …
Backing Black scholars : here ’ s how universities can do better
Yaz Osho offers nine ways that HEIs can start chipping away at the structural disadvantages and institutional practices that negatively impact Black scholars
Action to improve diversity and inclusion for Black students and staff
Where should action to improve equity , diversity and inclusion within universities be focused in order to have a tangible impact ? Christina Dzineku and Patrice Sewou …
Fool ’ s gold : career advice for young , Black academics
Freshly minted professor Jason Arday provides tips for aspiring Black and ethnic minority academics on how to safeguard themselves on the hazardous journey to the top
How to tell if your university is making a genuine effort to increase diversity
There is zero doubt that bias pervades the HE system . Universities need to show they are taking it as seriously as they take publication and other key performance areas
THE podcast : how to navigate HE as a woman of colour
To mark International Women ’ s Day , we spoke with two female academics about their journey through higher education and the biases and assumptions they have …
What will your anti - racist university look like ?
Universities continue to make bold commitments to stamp out racism and promote equity , diversity and inclusion , but what does it mean in practice to be an anti - racist …
Ten actions lecturers can take to boost black students ’ belonging
A 10 - step guide to how lecturers can improve the experience of black students studying in predominantly white institutions
Questions you should ask yourself about your role in institutional racism
Questions individuals working in academia should ask themselves to gain an honest appraisal of their role in institutional racism and take active steps to counteract it , …
Why higher education should take an EDI lesson from Kendrick Lamar
The Pulitzer - winning rapper ’ s disdain for performative activism contains lessons for universities who espouse their good intentions rather than enact change
Where ’ s our Black bereavement leave ?
Higher education routinely ignores the emotional needs of Black faculty and staff , particularly after traumatic events , and it ’ s time for that to change , says Angel Jones
As a black , female student , I wish I ’ d had a peer - mentoring scheme
Asking more experienced students to volunteer to help first - years navigate their university journey can make all the difference in terms of belonging and confidence
How to create a sense of belonging for black students in a majority white academy
Taking active , practical and nuanced approaches to ensuring the belonging of black students in majority white universities , at a micro and macro level , is everyone …
Ten actions to improve the experiences of Black students within UK universities
Patrice Seuwou outlines 10 steps UK universities can take to achieve greater transparency and fairness for Black students
THE podcast : an interview with Ruth Simmons , president of Prairie View A & M
The first African American president of Brown University , Simmons speaks about her pioneering work to research Brown ’ s historical links to slavery , the future of …
Making space for academic colleagues to think about race as part of pedagogy
Kevin Brazant shares tips on how to use digital content creation to deconstruct themes of equality , diversity and inclusion with colleagues and inform their learning …
Hidden in plain sight : spotlighting invisible Black female academics
Jummy Okoya outlines actions higher education institutions should take to encourage more Black women into academia and support their career progression
The promotion process needs bigger , better data if we ’ re to make it fairer
Enough of the tiny sample sizes at institutional level – if we want to identify the issues that hold back careers , we need sector - wide figures and cooperation
