Addressing Racism in Academia

Several higher education institutions have identified the Race Equality Charter (REC) as a key strategy for addressing racism. Similarly to the Athena Swan Charter, which addresses gender equity, the REC, launched in 2016, gives bronze and silver awards in racial equality. The recent update of the REC is therefore important. Overall, the REC application process has been substantially streamlined with greater flexibility for applicant institutions to focus on their own needs. However, the 2021 review that triggered this update also found that REC impacts were least beneficial among Black academics and absent among Black professional staff.