Events in the last year have brought the discrimination and disadvantage that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities face in the UK into sharp focus. Some progress has been made. Black Lives Matter has become mainstream and obvious relics to Britain’s colonial past have been removed. However, the pandemic has demonstrated that the collective weight of discrimination and inequality, particularly health inequality, has devastating consequences.
At London Met we have always been committed to using the power of education to transform lives. Our new strategic plan places our commitment to social justice and social change at its heart.
We have some work to do to achieve our goals. Our degree awarding gap is too stark and whilst our proportion of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff is growing, there is a lack of representation in senior academic roles and non-academic leadership roles in the University.
But we are changing. We have established the Centre for Equity and Inclusion, and we have launched a significant, wide-ranging curriculum review. Our Education for Social Justice Framework will bring a curriculum that combines the principles of inclusive pedagogy with a progressive values-based vision reflecting the mission of the University.
We will not lose our commitment to this agenda. This strategy is very important to us. It puts into print the hard targets that we need to achieve so we can better support the communities that we are so proud to work with.
Professor Lynn Dobbs
Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive