Sectoral guidance: further and higher education 

On this page

• Your role
  
• Promoting good race relations: dos and don’ts
  
• Your organisation
  

Your role

Colleges and universities have a vital role to play in preparing people for life in Britain’s diverse and multi-ethnic society. Changing patterns of work, new technologies, and greater mobility mean that, in the course of their lives, people are likely to encounter many different cultures and backgrounds, wherever they live.

How you meet your duties under the RRA can be a powerful factor in promoting good race relations, in the institution, in the local community, and more widely.

Promoting good race relations: dos and don’ts

Do:

• Make sure that your race equality policy addresses the duty to promote good race relations, and provide adequate resources to carry out all requirements.
• Discuss, formulate and put into practice a positive vision of good race relations for the education institution as a community.
• Make arrangements to prevent racial discrimination, for example by monitoring student performance and the ethnic composition of different courses, so that all students have the opportunity to achieve their full educational potential.
• Acknowledge the ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds of all students, and make sure these are reflected in the activities of the institution generally.
• Work in partnership with other institutions, community groups and local education authorities in all these areas.
• Work with student union representatives and others to promote dialogue and informed debate among students from all racial groups on issues relating to ethnic diversity and good race relations.
• Encourage staff and students to take responsibility for promoting good race relations, for example through student unions.
• Encourage staff and students to be active as volunteers in the wider community in activities related to promoting good race relations.
• Establish clear policies that create an environment free of racial harassment – and if there is harassment, take effective and prompt action to deal with it.

Don’t:

• Fail to address in your race equality policy the duty to promote good race relations, or fail to provide adequate resources to ensure delivery.
• Fail to implement your racial equality policy effectively, or deal with any opposition or resentment from any racial groups.
• Fail to communicate your policy or vision effectively to all staff (both teaching and non-teaching).
• Fail to support and train your staff in promoting good race relations.
• Fail to monitor differences in areas such as academic performance or expulsions or suspensions, identify the reasons for such differences, and take remedial action.
• Ignore tensions between students from different racial or ethnic backgrounds, or racist incidents.
• Allow segregation of students by racial group to develop in the institution.
• Fail to make sure that all staff are fully consulted on, and involved in, the development of policies to promote equality of opportunity and good race relations.

Your organisation

The role of governors

Governors in FE and HE institutions can play a crucial part in promoting good race relations. They need to be aware of their responsibilities under the RRA, particularly the statutory duty education institutions have to promote good race relations. They should make sure that their institution monitors and reports on all activities relevant to the duty. Where needed, governors should receive training to help them meet their responsibilities.

Membership of the governing body should reflect the ethnic composition of the local community, and governors from all racial groups should feel valued and able to contribute fully in their roles.

Find guidance on this section in race equality duty documents.