This information is the first of many steps to start deeper and more honest conversations about race to encourage our students and staff to listen to the BAME members of our community, hear their experiences, and recognise how we all can do better, as individuals and as an organisation. More
Category Archives: Diversity
EDI annual report 2019/20
The EDI Strategy 2019-2022 is a declaration of the university’s commitment to place the promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of the university. We believe that having a clear Equality and Diversity Policy Statement for students and staff reinforces our expectations of the values and behaviours that all members of the university community should exhibit:
- Treat others with respect at all times, and promote an environment free of all kinds of bullying and harassment.
- Actively discourage discriminatory behaviours or practices.
- Participate in training and learning opportunities that would enable them to adopt best practice.
Queenie author Candice Carty-Williams wins British Book Award
Candice Carty-Williams has said she feels “proud” but “sad” to become the first black author to win book of the year at the British Book Awards.
Her critically acclaimed debut novel, Queenie, fended off titles from authors including Lisa Taddeo, Oyinkan Braithwaite and Margaret Atwood.
She’s joined on the winner’s podium by Bernardine Evaristo, who was named author of the year.
Her Booker-winning novel, Girl, Woman, Other, won fiction book of the year. More
Jamie Chadwick set for substantial backing for journey to Formula 1
Jamie Chadwick says she hopes the “stars will align” after a securing substantial backing to reach Formula 1.
Chadwick signed for the Italian Prema team following support from Rodin Cars’ multi-millionaire boss David Dicker.
The 22-year-old will compete in regional Formula 3 from this August, with the aim of rising up to International F3 and F2 with Prema.
She said the opportunity was a “dream” and hopes to be in a position to compete in F1 “by 2023 or 2024”.
The British driver, who won the female-only W Series last year, tested a car developed by Rodin in New Zealand in March, leading Dicker to claim she was an “exceptional talent”.
Rodin are aiming to produce the world’s fastest track car and to make it commercially available, and partnered Chadwick as a driver who could help with on-track feedback. More
Black Lives Matter: a statement from the Vice-Chancellor, GSU officers, Chairs of EDI Committee & Chair of BAME staff network
We stand together in solidarity with our black students and staff.
As a university community and as individuals we are appalled by the senseless racist killing of George Floyd in the USA. We are equally saddened that the UK is not innocent. We know Sheku Bayoh, Kingsley Burrell, Sarah Reed, and many others have died in police custody in this country. We also all know about the racially motivated murder of Stephen Lawrence.
We need to see the situation for what it is and we need to be honest: these experiences exist and structural racism is present in our communities and in our universities. As employers, educators, researchers and community leaders we have a duty to act and an important part to play, and we should start with apologising for not doing enough and for not confronting racism with the urgency it deserves.
We also know saying this isn’t sufficient. We have a duty to do better. Equality, diversity and inclusion are founding principles of our institution and core beliefs of our students and staff. We know that world events and media coverage shouldn’t be the only driver for change but recent events and feedback from staff and students tells us that we need to do more.
With this in mind, we are committing to a review of all of our equality and diversity work and by the end of September 2020 we will be sharing our detailed plan of action setting out how we will do more to achieve systemic and long-lasting change for our students and staff. As part of this, we will be reflecting on the work done by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the BAME attainment gap project and the BAME Staff Network.
The Vice-Chancellor will also be appointing a member of staff to work directly with her 1-2 days per week, on a secondment basis, to champion and deliver this important work.
We recognise that we also have a responsibility to educate ourselves and we will shortly be sharing resources for students and staff across the university.
In the meantime, we recognise how tough, hurtful, and traumatising the last few weeks have been to our black students and staff.
If you need support now, or at any time in the future, you can contact the Wellbeing Service or GSU Advice Service (for students) or the Employee Assistance Programme, a wellbeing champion or a member of Human Resources (for staff).
You can also join our BAME Staff Network (by emailing Natasha Abreo) or GSU’s BAME Student Society by emailing Mayo Femi-Obalemo, or email any suggestions you may have about how the university should take further action to Naseer Ahmad or Simone Murch from our EDI team.
Black lives matter.
Professor Jane Harrington
Vice-Chancellor and on behalf of the University of Greenwich
Dr Sandhi Patchay
Chair and on behalf of the University of Greenwich BAME Staff Network
GSU Officers
On behalf of Greenwich Students’ Union
Gail Brindley, Director of HR & Professor Mark O’Thomas, PVC, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Science, Co-Chairs, and on behalf of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee at the University of Greenwich
‘Birdgirl’ Mya-Rose Craig receives Bristol University honorary doctorate
A teenage birdwatcher has urged students to “tackle the environmental crisis” as she received an honorary doctorate at the age of 17.
Mya-Rose Craig, also known as Birdgirl, set up Black2Nature to help engage more children from minority ethnic backgrounds (BAME) in conservation.
She received the doctor of science degree from the University of Bristol.
The environmentalist posts on Twitter as BirdGirlUK and is thought to be the UK’s youngest recipient of the award. More
The British swimmer breaking down barriers
Alice Dearing, 22, could make history in 2020 by becoming the first black woman to represent Great Britain in swimming at the Olympics.
She speaks to BBC Sport about breaking down stereotypes in the sport – as well as everyday issues, such as how she manages her hair in the pool. More
Celebrating Black History Month
Don’t miss the Black Excellence exhibition in Dreadnought and online – it’s just one of the events organised by the GSU and the BAME Staff Network. 4 October 2019
The Students’ Union exhibition space in Dreadnought is hosting the Black Excellence exhibition, which celebrates and highlights the success of black students, staff and alumni from our university community. Throughout the month it will feature a series of weekly exhibitions:
- Black leaders featuring staff, students and alumni
- Black cultures through art and fashion
- Black entrepreneurs in our university community and
- Black alumni.
Our BAME Staff Network is also launching in Black History Month, with a launch event on 8 October, which is one of many events they have organised.
For more details of the events organised throughout the month, please see the events listings below.
https://www.gre.ac.uk/events/staff-events
Khadijah Mellah: Hijab-wearing jockey triumphs on Haverland and makes history
Four months ago Khadijah Mellah had not even sat on a racehorse, but on Thursday she made history by winning the Magnolia Cup at Glorious Goodwood.
The 18-year-old student is believed to be the first person in the UK to appear in a competitive horse race while wearing a hijab.
The amateur rider from Peckham, in south London, won the five-and-a-half-furlong charity race aboard Charlie Fellowes-trained 25-1 outsider Haverland, beating the likes of Olympic cycling champion turned jockey Victoria Pendleton. More
Join our Faith Staff Network
Dear Colleagues
Would you like to have a say in how the University:
If yes, then how about joining our Faith Staff Network. It aims to promote the interests of staff with diverse faiths and beliefs employed at the University of Greenwich.
So, if you have a formal religion/belief, or indeed no belief, you are welcome to join the Faith Staff Network.
Regular Staff Network meetings will be held and will focus on planning work that helps promote diversity and inclusion across the University. These networks will have a direct communication channel to Senior Management through the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Interested?
If you are interested in being a part of any of these inspiring groups, please contact Naseer Ahmad in the EDI Team on: n.ahmad@greenwich.ac.uk.
Best Regards
Gail Brindley
Director of Human Resources