This national accreditation recognises our commitment to improving the representation, progression and success of ethnic minority staff and students, and the progress we have made in embedding race equality into the fabric of our institution.

As of 2024, among 110 REC member institutions, only 50 have secured Bronze status demonstrating that achieving the award is both significant and far from automatic. The REC provides a rigorous framework for universities to reflect on institutional and cultural barriers and to take meaningful action to address them.

Professor Phil Taylor, Vice-Chancellor, highlights:

I am incredibly proud that Bath has achieved the Race Equality Charter Bronze award. This recognition reflects the hard work of colleagues and students across our community. I want to particularly acknowledge the leadership of Dr Teslim Bukoye, our Race Equality Charter Lead, whose vision and commitment have been instrumental in securing this milestone. While we know there is more to do, this award marks an important step forward in our journey to becoming a university with inclusion at its heart.

Dr Teslim Bukoye, Race Equality Charter Lead, added:

Achieving the Bronze award is a proud and pioneering moment for our University community. Leading this project has been both a privilege and a collective effort. The Race Equality Charter challenges us to be honest about the barriers that exist and to take bold, evidence-based steps to remove them. My vision is for Bath to be recognised not only for academic excellence but also for embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion at the very heart of who we are and how we lead as a sector.

Aiste Zubiniene, Equality Charters Manager, said:

A 231-page application, including over 180 pages of data exploring two sets of culture survey results for both staff and students, key student and staff metrics (i.e. access, success, recruitment, progression, committee make-up) and a deep dive analysing qualitative feedback; seeing all of this tremendous work being recognised with an award conferred with no conditions and at a first attempt is a significant milestone on our journey and our long-term commitment to creating an inclusive and equitable environment for all.

Looking ahead

Our application led by our Race Equality Charter Lead, working alongside members of UEB, and a dedicated REC-USAT self-assessment team of staff and students. Together, they have developed an ambitious action plan, that would be addressing five key priorities including:

  • Removing barriers to inclusivity and sense of belonging amongst staff and students
  • Addressing bullying and harassment issues specific to ethnic minority groups
  • Improving recruitment and awarding outcomes for students from under-represented ethnic minority groups
  • Tackling disparities in staff recruitment and career progression
  • Increasing ethnic minority representation on decision-making committees

This Bronze award is not the end, but the beginning of the next stage of our work. We remain committed to delivering on our action plan and building a culture where equity and inclusion are embedded across every part of the University.

For more information on how to get involved in our Race Equality Charter work, please contact Dr Teslim Bukoye and/or the Culture & Inclusion Team.