Black History Month 2022

We are delighted to present the University's programme for Black History Month 2022. There are a range of events on offer, including discussion sessions and food tastings, pamper sessions and podcasts, all of which will provide opportunities for our community to engage with the theme of this year's celebration - Time for Change: Action not Words.

The theme this year resonates with us, as we progress our antiracism work. Since last year's celebrations, we have continued to prioritise this work through the University's strategic plan, Aberdeen 2040, and our Antiracism Strategy which was launched in 2022. The Strategy commits us to creating safe working and learning environments and to fostering a true sense of belonging for our staff and students, with this being overseen by the Race Equality Strategy Group (RESG).

Building on training delivered in 2021, race literacy training was offered to staff and postgraduate research students earlier in the year. During 2022, we established an Antiracism Roundtable with our local partners such as the North-East Scotland Police division, NHS Grampian, Aberdeen City Council, and Grampian Regional Equality Council (GREC) to identify where shared action could support antiracist work in the northeast of Scotland.

Our thriving Staff and Postgraduate Research Race Equality Network continues to raise awareness of race-related issues in the Higher Education sector, empowering staff and postgraduate students and providing support when needed. Throughout the academic year, the BAME Students Forum has hosted events such as a Black Asian Minority Ethnic LGBTQIA+ Consent Workshop for Pride Month and DJ sets featuring Afro-fusion, neo-soul, African jazz, and Afro-funk/disco music. Last year, 21 Race Equality Champions were appointed. They are a point of contact for staff and students for advice, guidance, to share ideas, or just for a listening ear.

While Black History Month provides an important opportunity to celebrate our Black community, it is also a time to reflect. We understand that our commitment to racial equality on our campuses is an ongoing journey and one that requires action from all members of the University of Aberdeen community. We hope you enjoy the Black History Month 2022 programme and we encourage you to support and engage in our wider race equality work. Through our collective effort and dedication, we will make positive changes so that all staff and students can reach their full potential and experience a sense of belonging in the University and in the Northeast of Scotland.