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UCU comment on latest HESA figures

20 January 2017

Commenting on today's figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency on staff in UK universities, the University and College Union (UCU) said universities needed to take decisive action to support staff from black and minority ethnic backgrounds apply for more senior roles.

The figures revealed that no black academics worked in senior management in any UK university for the last three years. Of the 535 senior officials who declared their ethnicity, 510 were white, 15 were Asian and 10 were recorded as "other including mixed". In 2015-16 universities employed more black staff as cleaners, receptionists or porters than as lecturers or professors.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: 'We want universities to take decisive action to stop this terrible waste of talent. They need to examine the reasons why black and minority ethnic staff stop climbing the career ladder, and develop new, effective strategies to support them to reach the top.'

UCU has previously highlighted the lack of BME and women professors.

Last updated: 31 January 2017

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