What is the Race Equality Charter?

The Race Equality Charter (REC) aims to improve the representation, progression and success of minority ethnic staff and students within higher education. Similar to Athena Swan, the Charter launched in January 2016 and is run by Advance HE.

REC provides a framework for universities to self-reflect on institutional and cultural barriers standing in the way of minority ethnic staff and students, and have their commitment to and progress in removing these barriers recognised. Member institutions develop initiatives and actions to remove these barriers.

REC at Imperial

Imperial became a member of the Charter in January 2018. Our College REC Self-Assessment Team (SAT) leads our work and we successfully achieved a Bronze award in November 2021. 

• Imperial 2021 REC application summary (pdf)‌
• ‌Imperial 2021 REC Bronze application (pdf)
• ‌Imperial 2021 REC Action Plan (pdf)‌
• REC 2023 update one-pager (pdf)

If you would like to get involved or have questions about REC, then please get in contact with the SAT co-chairs Professor Lesley Cohen and Dr Wayne Mitchell Associate Provost (EDI), and Anique Varleigh, Head of Examinations & Assessment, Business School.‌

Launch of REC at Imperial

The College formally launched our REC work at our 2018 Black History Month Lecture. 

Chi Onwurah MP (Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM) delivered the lecture on the theme 'Importance of diversity in STEM'. Chi argued the importance of diversity as an economic imperative and focused on the need for systematic change.

You can watch the recording of the lecture and read more about what Chi had to say.