College of Science & Engineering

Championing Change: Advancing Anti-Racism at Glasgow University

Explore how the University of Glasgow is taking decisive steps to combat racism in higher education. In this article we dive into the impactful work of Nighet Riaz, driving change through collaboration, advocacy and meaningful initiatives.

Racism is a significant challenge faced by higher education institutions highlighted in the publication of the EHRC 'Universities Challenged' report in 2019. The third iteration of #BlackLivesMatter movement called for the move away from performative statements, and action following the tragic murder of George Floyd in Minnesota, USA. In response to the EHRC report and the call for action, the University of Glasgow commissioned an internal report on racism, leading to the publication of 'Understanding Racism and Transforming Universities Cultures' (URTUC) in February 2021.

The University of Glasgow acknowledged the report's findings and recognised the importance of addressing systemic racism as a fundamental part of its values. As part of the university’s values and commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse academic and professional environment, an action plan to combat racism was published alongside the URTUC report. Alongside this plan, members of the Senior Management Group publicly outlined their objectives to tackle systemic racism. Subsequently, the university initiated a series of comprehensive anti-racism actions, including the establishment of a new role to support the implementation of the action plan. Dr Nighet Riaz was appointed to this role in September 2021.

Nighet is an education professional and a published author in the field of educational policy, identity and belonging. In her previous role as Programme Advisor at Advance HE, she successfully led two projects, one raising awareness of race, racism, and whiteness across the tertiary education sector and another tackling the underrepresentation of ethnic diversity in the workforce on behalf of the Scottish Funding Council. The impact of these projects was nationally endorsed and supported by various educational stakeholders. She co-designed a third project to explore what an anti-racist curriculum could look like, and where she continues to be a member of the executive committee.

Nighet completed her PhD, focusing on the experiences of minority ethnic young people as they transitioned from compulsory education to further or higher education, employment, or training. Her expertise and knowledge, combined with her activism in political and civic campaigns, have given her valuable insights into the challenges faced by minoritised groups.

Since joining the University of Glasgow’s Equality and Diversity Unit, Nighet has worked closely with colleagues, pooling skills, knowledge and lived experiences.  She has also collaborated with colleagues across the Colleges and University Services, to raise awareness of the impact of racism and to promote anti-racism practices. This progress through collegiate working has been captured in the 'Understanding Racism and Transforming University' updates and the '#TogetherAgainstRacism' campaign. Nighet has been delivering workshops, seminars and training sessions. She has facilitated open dialogues with students, academic staff, and professionals, with the aim of fostering an environment of understanding, empathy, and learning, where individuals from diverse backgrounds can freely voice their experiences and concerns. Meeting and working with like-minded colleagues, building allyship and solidarity, and creating spaces to have critical conversations have been important to develop a sense of identity, belonging and ‘institutional activism’. Examples of this are the Decolonising the Curriculum Community of Practice and the Global Majority Network. This collaborative effort is a vital step towards maintaining an inclusive and welcoming environment at the University of Glasgow.

The Equality and Diversity Unit is led by Mhairi Taylor, and supported by Katie Farrell (Senior EDI Policy Adviser), Nighet Riaz (EDI Policy Adviser) and Janell Kelly (EDU Administrator), and we can be contacted via email at equality@glasgow.ac.uk.

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First published: 29 August 2023