Teaching within

Teaching within

According to the Equality Challenge Unit’s latest report, there are over 18,000 professors in British universities. Less than a quarter are women, whilst a paltry 1.7% are BME women and only 0.6% are black.

https://mediadiversified.org/2018/01/17/ why-are-women-of-colour-still-sounderrepresented-in-academia/

Shades of Noirs (SoN) ‘Teaching Within’ (TW) programme is a proactive academic progression intervention that responds directly to the under representation of academics of colour in the creative arts and design higher education (HE) sector. This programme was created in 2016 by Aisha Richards in collaboration with SoN and has been delivered across all 6 different colleges within University of the Arts London (UAL).

Teaching Within responds to creative arts and design subjects having the second largest discrepancy between White academics and those of colour, with a mere 3.6 percent representation (ECU, 2009). Additionally, art and design has the second largest attainment gap across the higher education sector (Richards, 2017). TW is being delivered in an art and design HE sector, however this process and model could be applied to many sectors.

‘I was sceptical about the programme in the first instance and it has been tricky to implement from the course structure end. However, it became very clear really early on, that the mono culture and approach that currently exists has not benefited and challenged all our students positively. The very presence of difference is powerful, let alone the knowledge and impactful contributions our teaching within academic brought to the studio, curriculum and my team’s personal pedagogic reflection’ UAL Course Leader (2017)

TW has increased the presence of academics of colour and further enhanced a diverse community of practitioners across the institution. Additionally, it has supported the postgraduate teaching qualification student experience, (which sits within TW) opportunities for enhanced discourse, research and criticality amongst the student and staff community.

‘I think I have really developed my overall confidence as a lecturer, having to plan my own lesson plans and trusting my own creative ability as a designer. - I’ve realised my experience as a black female alumni is invaluable, even though I may not have as much experience as my fellow colleagues, particularly within the PgCert context and engaging students. The programme has provided me with an invaluable support network and a programme I can trust has my best interest in mind.’ Teaching Within Academic (2018)

We have now completed our first year while continuously considering the lessons learned in order to deliver the next cohort programme. This has included surveys of all stakeholders and review meetings to further support cultural change. One of the successes are that over half of the TW academics from the first phase have teaching hours beyond the programme both at UAL and beyond.

Eligibility:

There are four communities that are eligible to access this programme:

Shades of Noir (SoN) Graduates

The successful development and engagement of SoN since its creation in 2009 has meant there are SoN graduates that are UAL alumni currently in the creative industry

Tell Us About It

‘Tell Us About It’ was created by Terry Finnigan in 2009 and continues to be archived at the Stanley Kubrick Archive at LCC, as it continues to grow. This programme of work embraces, affirms and presents high achieving UAL students of colour voices through the creation of artifacts, where they reflect on their learning across their degrees. These artifacts are shared with new staff and new students so they become aware of the importance of difference within the student body and how it can enhance the learning experience.

www.studentstories.co.uk/assets/ pdfs/20100310153604_2003409879.pdf

Group for the Equality of Minority Staff (GEMS)

GEMS is the longest standing and largest UAL staff group. The growth, engagement and prominence of the GEMS community; contributes to the changes in the UAL culture with regards to diversity, inclusion and equality. Many non-teaching staff are alumni to UAL and or practicing creative.

BAME Talent Day

The talent programme that was started at LCF by Angela Drisdale Gordon, which has now been rolled out at several colleges across UAL (Central Saint Martin renamed Teaching Futures - www.designcouncil.org. uk/news-opinion/interview-richie-manu ) and has contributed to the progression, access and invitation to industry specialists from diverse backgrounds, many who are UAL alumni.

In addition to being part of one of these 4 communities, to apply for the scheme, the applicant needs to:

• Have been awarded a BA or and MA in art, design, communication or related subjects

• Have graduated more than 2 years ago

• Have worked more than 2 years at UAL in a non teaching role (GEMS only)

• Have no teaching qualification • Not be in full time education currently or during the programme duration

• Not currently be in a teaching role and not have had a permanent teaching post

• Never been part of this programme (Teaching Within) previously

Teaching Within provides this university with an opportunity to progress the recruitment and value added of marginalized communities of practitioners and to transform the institutional paradigm in a variety of wide reaching ways.

Further Reading:

Richards, A. (2017). Reclaiming freedom beyond the glass ceiling to transform institutional cultures. In: D. Gabriel and S. Tate, ed., The accidental academic, 1st ed. London: IOE Press, p.16.

http://blackbritishacademics. co.uk/2015/10/17/staff-and-students-ofcolour-speak-out-on-racism-in-academia/ https://www.runnymedetrust.org/blog/ black-female-professors-in-the-uk https://www.theguardian.com/ education/2017/jan/19/britishuniversities-employ-no-blackacademics-in-top-roles-figures-show