This year, the University of Nottingham will run the Black Industry Connections and Empowerment Programme (BICEP) for the second time.

BICEP’s goal is to offer students from Black heritage backgrounds the opportunity to expand their personal and professional networks, meet inspiring Black role models; and find empowerment whilst at university. This work supports the university’s commitment to the Access and Participation Plan objective to close the awarding gap between Black and White students.  

Over the course of four months our 24 volunteer mentors provided 87 students with insights into what it’s like working in a variety of industries.

They took part in two in-person networking events, as well as more than 60 online group sessions where students could discuss a range of topics with mentors and develop skills that could support them now, as current students and once they graduate and enter into the world of work. 

Angela Namubiru, a Medicinal and Biological Chemistry student and a BICEP participant, said: “BICEP was such an excellent programme to be apart of. Having conversations with black people who have attended Nottingham university and understand what it’s like being a minority at this place was good , especially as many have excelled within their own career fields too.”  

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BICEP has been a hugely positive new initiative and we look forward to seeing the programme continue to grow. Students can find out more and sign up to take part in this year’s BICEP here: nott.ac/bicep Closing date for applications is Wednesday 25 October. 

Objective 4.15 from our Race Equality Charter is to improve graduate outcomes for Black, Asian, and minority ethnic students.

Find out more about our race equality commitments here.