NEWS & INSIGHT
NEW REPORT CONSIDERS WAYS OF CURBING BLACK ACADEMICS’ UNDERREPRESENTATION SCHOOL : Durham University Business School COUNTRY : UK
In 2023, just one per cent of professors in the UK were defined as Black, according to the latest figures from the country’s Higher Education Statistics Agency. A new report seeks to get to the heart of this continuing underrepresentation and put forward ways in which institutions can combat it. Unblocking the Pipeline is the work of the Society of Black Academics, recruitment firm GatenbySanderson and the Higher Education Policy Institute. It was co-authored by Durham University Business School associate professor of accounting Mercy Denedo. Based on a survey of almost 100 early-career Black researchers in the UK, the report reveals numerous areas for improvement. Only 34 per cent of respondents thought their workplace was inclusive and less than half felt they could be their true selves at work. When it comes to remuneration, only 32 per cent believed that they were paid a fair wage. Writing in Times Higher Education , Denedo argued that institutions should commit to creating support networks for the wellbeing and development of Black academics. While more funding for studentships and living costs is one obvious way to help, the Durham professor emphasised that more
needs to be done to support academics while they are working. She also pointed out that Black academics tend to face a higher workload than their peers by taking on additional responsibilities, such as participation in affinity groups or mentorship schemes. Often treated as falling outside a ‘normal’ job description, the importance of these activities should be recognised and built into the workload, according to Denedo. Interviews with Black academics conducted alongside the report’s survey showed that diversity, equity and inclusion training has been the most effective initiative in improving inclusivity. However, these interviews also revealed a lack of support schemes tailored specifically for Black academics. Denedo therefore called for more spaces for Black academics to voice their concerns and participate in decision-making, with a recommendation that institutions pool their data as part of efforts to better understand the lived experiences of Black academics. EB
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Ambition | NOVEMBER 2024 | 11
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