Today we publish a new report Unblocking the Pipeline: Supporting the Retention, Progression and Promotion of Black Early-Career Academics (ECA), exploring the experiences of Black Early-Career Academics.

Led by Dr Becca Franssen, partner in our Education Practice and in partnership with the Society of Black Academics (SBA) and Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) the report urges a renewed focus and positive action on advancing the careers of Black academics.

We surveyed nearly 100 Black ECAs and conducted 24 interviews with university staff about how they feel about their workplaces and careers and the strategies used to support them.

Becca, lead author of the report, says of our findings and the recommendations higher education institutions should action:

“Black academics are acutely underrepresented in UK higher education. This report seeks to understand why, regardless of initiatives to address this, it continues to be the case. By understanding what universities are already doing, and building on their successes, we have been able to make a series of low-cost, easy-to-implement recommendations to help facilitate the progression and retention of Black academics.

This is critical to building diverse, dynamic and vibrant universities that are representative of their student bodies and able to adapt to a changing landscape. GatenbySanderson recognises its responsibility to shape a rich and diverse pipeline of academic leadership seriously and we are pleased to support the Society of Black Academics and HEPI on this important topic.”

You can access the full report free on HEPI’s website.

We thank all the authors, participant and contributors for their valued input to this report, including:

• Josh Freeman, Policy Manager at HEPI and a supporting author of the report
• Dr Opeoluwa Aiyenitaju, Lecturer in Business Information Systems at Manchester Metropolitan University and a supporting author of the report
• Dr Bola Babajide, Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Finance at De Montfort University and a supporting author of the report
• Dr Mercy Denedo, Associate Professor in Accounting at Durham University and a supporting author of the report
• Steven Kator Iorfa, doctoral student in the Faculty of Business and Law at the University of Portsmouth and a supporting author of the report
• Dr Ade Oyedijo, Associate Professor in Operations and Supply Chain Management at the University of Leicester and a supporting author of the report
• Professor Udy Archibong MBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) at the University of Bradford and a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing for authoring the foreword

If you’d like to speak to Dr Becca Franssen about the report or the recommendations made within it, please contact her here.