Intended benefit and impact
How will our project improve the student learning experience?
Through specific involvement of the students from BAME communities as full project partners, the project aims to give them a sense of belonging and an opportunity to be the authors of the change they would like to see in the creation of a university community that they feel a part of. It will:
- Provide a means of assessing & improving the ‘student experience’ through new knowledge and understanding of the needs of students from BAME backgrounds, identifying key barriers to the positive learning experience of BAME students.
- Inform the BAME student body of the benefits of using additional support services, including the academic librarian, in improving their final grade and classification.
How will your project change practice?
Reading lists and course structures in all subjects should be scrutinised to ensure there is no racial bias, according to Baroness Amos, who is director of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and the country’s first female black university leader. (Turner 2019)
The finding from the project relate to one of the university’s KPIs and will feed into the university strategy for widening participation and social inclusion.
The project will give staff an opportunity to reflect on their practice and to ensure that their teaching is inclusive.
The project findings will potentially also prove to be a valuable resources in engagement with BAME students and improving communication channels.
How will your project inform institutional policy or strategy?
The project will:
- Inform and facilitate the integration of the project results into the University policies and procedures in this area, ensuring that the voice of the affected is represented.
- Inform a more effective inclusion and widening participation strategy