Universities should confront ‘white privilege’ to step up the fight against discrimination

Universities must admit they ‘perpetuate institutional racism’ and confront ‘white privilege’ as first steps in the fight against discrimination on campuses, vice-chancellors have said.

Institutions should also train staff and students to understand ‘microaggressions’ – which are ‘subtle, less overt forms of racism’ – according to Universities UK.

The organisation representing vice-chancellors has published recommendations for eradicating racial harassment.

It follows a report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission last year, which found there was an ‘alarmingly high rate’ of racism on campuses, with nearly a quarter of ethnic minority students saying they had been racially harassed.

The guidance, from the advisory group set up by UUK, calls on senior leaders and governing bodies to acknowledge issues that exist in their universities and acknowledge that higher education ‘perpetuates institutional racism’.

It cites racial harassment, a lack of diversity among senior leaders and the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) student attainment gap as evidence.

Universities should conduct training which incorporates the concepts of ‘white privilege’, ‘white fragility’, ‘white allyship’ and ‘microaggressions’ to highlight everybody’s responsibility for tackling racial harassment, the guidance says.

The pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement have ‘shone a stark light’ on racial inequalities that exist within higher education, the report says.

It adds: ‘The sector cannot reach its full potential unless it benefits from the talents of the whole population, and individuals from all ethnic backgrounds can benefit equally from the opportunities it provides. These developments reinforce the need to act now.’

Professor David Richardson, chair of the advisory group and vice-chancellor of UEA, said: ‘It is my firm belief that UK universities perpetuate institutional racism. 

‘This is uncomfortable to acknowledge but all university leaders should do so as a first step towards meaningful change.’