What We've Done So Far

Leadership and Accountability

We have developed and rolled out training linked to our Leadership Framework, which promotes visible, values-driven leadership and explicitly embeds anti-racism, accountability, and inclusion at all levels of the University.

Diversity Calendar and Awareness Raising

We have delivered an annual programme of events through our Diversity Calendar, including activities during Black History Month and Race Equality Week. These initiatives have provided opportunities for staff-led discussions, helping to deepen understanding and engagement with race equality and anti-racism across the institution.

Embedding Inclusion in Decision-Making

We have piloted the use of Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) to ensure that equality, diversity, and inclusion considerations, including race equality, is embedded within and informs key decision-making processes. This has enabled us to use quantitative and qualitative evidence to identify and minimise any disproportionate impact on different demographic groups.

Fair and Inclusive Recruitment

We have implemented a few measures to support fair and inclusive recruitment and selection processes and to encourage applications from underrepresented groups:

• A positive action statement is now included in all job advertisements, encouraging applications from Minority Ethnic and other underrepresented groups.
• For senior appointments where recruitment agencies are engaged, we require agencies to demonstrate expertise in attracting diverse talent and to provide candidate longlists that reflect diversity.

Addressing Unconscious Bias

To reduce the impact of unconscious bias in recruitment, selection, and progression processes, we have:

• Introduced mandatory e-learning for all staff on understanding and managing unconscious bias.
• Developed and delivered a mandatory Inclusive Recruitment and Selection training programme for all staff involved in interview and selection panels.

Pay Gap Transparency

To increase transparency, we have collated, analysed, and published data relating to the University's ethnicity pay gap, alongside our gender and disability pay gap reporting. The published report outlines key findings and the actions we will take to reduce identified disparities. You can review the report here https://www.beds.ac.uk/pay-gap-reports/

Partnership Working Across Bedfordshire

In partnership with Bedford Borough Council and the UNISON Black Members Group, we have established the Bedfordshire Race Equality Forum. The Forum brings together EDI professionals and stakeholders from public sector organisations across Bedfordshire to share knowledge, exchange good practice and collaborate on common race equality challenges.

To date, we have hosted two Forum meetings and a learning event to mark Race Equality Week. The Forum is developing into an important collaborative space where partners are sharing insights, identifying shared challenges, and co-creating practical solutions.

Procurement of Anti-Racism training

Members of the Race Equality Delivery Group (REDG) have led the development of a service specification to support the procurement of Anti-Racism training for the University. The selection process for a training provider will be completed in August 2026. Following appointment, we will work closely with the successful provider to agree the methodology, approach and content for the in-person training programme, ensuring that it is tailored to address the University's specific race equality priorities and objectives.

The training programme will be rolled out from September 2026, supporting staff development and contributing to the University's ongoing commitment to embedding anti-racist practice across the institution.

Inclusive Curriculum Development

The Educational Development and Evaluation Team has continued to embed equality, diversity, and inclusion principles into curriculum design, teaching and learning practice. This includes expanding continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities focused on Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Closing the Gap Events

The University’s Closing the Gaps Programme has been recognised by Advance HE and featured within the Race Equality Charter Good Practice Initiative Database. The case study highlights how colleagues across the University have successfully combined robust data analysis, evidence-informed practice and inclusive approaches to reduce the ethnicity degree awarding gap by 10 percentage points over a two-year period. This recognition showcases the University’s commitment to improving outcomes for underrepresented student groups and advancing race equality across the institution.

Building on this success, a cross faculty closing the gap event was held in July. This included discussion of the latest institutional awarding gap data, presentation of internal research findings and sharing of best sector practices from external speakers. Follow up discussion will happen within each faculty to identify local priorities which will then be reflected in new course enhancement plans to further improve student outcomes and support inclusive student success.

Research into Awarding and Continuation Gaps

We have developed a programme of research focused on understanding the factors that impact Minority Ethnic students' continuation rates and degree awarding outcomes. This work adopts a mixed-methods approach and has been developed through staff and student co-production.

As part of this programme, the ESE Research Fellows within the Academy have completed a research project exploring the causes of awarding gaps in Nursing programmes. The findings are now being used to inform the development of targeted strategic interventions.

Assessment Change Programme

An assessment change programme is currently underway to broaden assessment choice and increase the use of authentic assessment methods. New assessment principles have been incorporated into course enhancement planning, and revised assessment categories are being introduced to provide greater flexibility and choice for students.

Campus to Careers

We have introduced a tailored Campus to Careers programme to support students from underrepresented backgrounds in developing their employability skills, building confidence, and accessing career development opportunities. This work forms part of our commitment to improving progression and graduate outcomes for all students.

Over the past two years, we have undertaken a comprehensive process of reflection and analysis aimed at enabling us to become an anti-racist University.

This has already resulted in some key changes in university policy and practice:

• The Support and Report system has been improved for the reporting of racist incidents.
• We worked with Unison and other major organisations in the county to establish the Bedfordshire Race Forum and hosted the first meeting during 2025 Race Equality Awareness week.
• In 2024 we launched the UoB Big Promises a commitment by the senior leadership team to enforce race equality across the institution.
• New events have been created to ensure we have a rich diversity and cultural calendar involving senior staff working with the student union and the Treehouse chaplaincy.
• The people and culture team have established an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Community of Practice, and are reviewing our Staff Networks and EDI policies.

Preparing our application has also involved a wide range of activities and analysis overseen by the RECSAT including

• A REC Staff and Student Survey (Survey Findings are available here).
• Following up the surveys with focus groups to provide an in-depth understanding of the racial barriers and inequalities experienced by staff and students to inform and refine the REC Action
• Developing REC Actions to include in the application that are firmly based on research, data analysis and evidence using various additional sources of information (i.e.  OfS data; People and Culture staff data held on ITrent; The People and Culture Survey; Belong at Beds survey data
• Examining best practice obtained from other universities that have applied for REC
• Hosting inclusive events within the university to discuss race equality including Conversation Cafe’s, Town Hall meetings, Student Forums and feedback from the Race Equality Staff Network (REN)

These activities helped us hear directly about staff and students’ experiences of belonging, inclusion, and structural barriers as they created space for honest conversations around race, micro-aggressions and institutional culture.

A draft REC application was submitted to Advance HE for developmental review in September 2024 and the feedback was received in November 2024.