Universities UK. (2020) Tackling racial harassment in higher education. November 2020. Universities UK. 

This report is a new set of recommendations designed to decisively tackle racial harassment as part of efforts to address racial inequality in UK higher education. 

The guidance was developed by an advisory group, chaired by Professor David Richardson, Vice-Chancellor of the University of East Anglia. The advisory group was supported by staff and student panels, with members drawn exclusively from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups to ensure due prominence was given to the voices of those with lived experience of racial harassment.  

The recommendations include practical steps that all university leaders can implement immediately:  

• Publicly commit priority status to tackling racial harassment  
• Engage directly with students and staff with lived experience of racial harassment 
• Review current policies and procedures and develop new institution-wide strategies for tackling racial harassment 
• Improve awareness and understanding of racism, racial harassment, white privilege and microaggressions among all staff and students, including through anti-racist training  

• Ensure expected behaviours for online behaviour are clearly communicated to students and staff, as well as sanctions for breaches  
• Develop and introduce reporting systems for incidents of racial harassment 
• Collect data on reports of incidents and share regularly with senior staff and governing bodies  

Link to the report