The University’s largest-ever survey into racial equality on campus launches today (Tuesday 7 May 2019) for staff and students.

Responses to the survey will be used to inform an action plan on racial equality, outlining how the University will develop its recruitment, support, teaching and learning process to better support BME (black and minority ethnic) staff and students. They will also help shape work the University is already doing to tackle racial inequality, such as the Excellence in Education programme examining BME attainment.

The University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Professor Sarah Sharples, encouraged staff and students to take part.

“By taking this survey, you can play your part in making a difference. Please encourage colleagues and students to complete the survey – to help us to build a picture of racial equality on campus that we can use to bring about real change.”

She was joined by the Race Equality Charter Student Ambassadors, a group of students who are supporting the University’s work on the REC application, in urging all members of the University community to complete the survey and play their part in making change on campus.

Ikra Mahmood, first year undergraduate student in the School of Medicine and REC Student Ambassador, said: “Being part of an underrepresented group at university may make you feel like your voice won’t be heard. We’re here for exactly that: to support empowerment and real change – starting with the Race Equality Charter Survey. Fill it in and have your say.”

“Your views on race equality, diversity and inclusion really matter: only with your responses can we know what we have done well, what we need to improve, and what we need to start planning,” added Ruochong Zhang, Race Equality Charter Ambassador and postgraduate student in the School of Psychology.

“This survey is only a beginning. We are here to represent your voices. Based on your input, we will keep pushing for improvements in race equality in all aspects of University life.”

Part of the University’s application for Race Equality Charter bronze status to be submitted in summer 2020, the survey will provide key data on the experiences and perceptions of the University community in relation to race.

The experiences and perceptions of all students and staff are essential to the data collection process – but it is particularly important to gather information from the BME members of the University community. The REC self-assessment team is working with the BME Staff Network and student cultural societies to encourage responses from all sections of our diverse community.

The survey can be completed online – staff and student versions are available. Paper versions of the survey are also available – contact alternativeformats@nottingham.ac.uk or call 0115 951 4591 for information on how to obtain and submit one.

The survey helps us to assess and define our current position – giving us a picture of the experiences of staff and students across the institution. Survey data will be used with other information already collected by the University to create this picture – including recruitment and attainment data.

All information collected during the survey and through other data-gathering exercises will be confidential. On occasion we might ask for contact details so that we can invite respondents to be involved in further activity. Providing contact details is entirely voluntary, and contact information will always be stored separately to survey responses.

Race Equality Charter – useful links:

• Staff survey
• Student survey
• REC info on our EDI webpages
• The Race Equality Charter (Advance HE pages)
• Want to know more? Email rec@nottingham.ac.uk