Following the publication of Unblocking the Pipeline: Supporting the Retention, Progression and Promotion of Black Early-Career Academics, GatenbySanderson, Higher Education Policy Institute and Society of Black Academics are commencing the second phase of this research project.
Together, we want to explore and better understand the experience of Black professors in the mid-stage of their careers and discuss why there are so few Black professors, and what can we do about it?
We invite you to join us, along with esteemed colleagues across HE, to explore this topic, ask questions of our panellists and share your own experiences, thereby contributing to our next report in the series which will be published in early 2025.
Webinar panel discussion details:
- Thu, 07 Nov
- 12:00 – 13:00 GMT
- Online via Teams – register here
Contribute your experiences:
We want this to be an open discussion with an opportunity not only to ask questions of the panel but share and contribute your experiences. Please join us on Thursday 7 November at 12 noon GMT to take part. Register to join us live here, or click the button below:
Speakers:
Dr Becca Franssen is a Partner in the Education Team at GatenbySanderson and has almost a decade of executive search experience. Becca had an early academic career at both the University of Westminster and King’s College London and spent several years at the American School in London including in the Admissions Office. She has also worked in advancement at the University of Alberta and for the Government of Ontario.
Professor Udy Archibong
Uduak Archibong PhD MBE is the Pro Vice-Chancellor [Equality, Diversity and Inclusion], directs the Centre for Inclusion and Diversity and provides strategic oversight for equality, diversity and inclusion [EDI] across University of Bradford. She is a Fellow of the West African College of Nursing and a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing. She was listed in the New Year Honours list 2015 and was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions to higher education and equality. Recognised as a foremost authority with a sustained, distinguished presence in the field of diversity management, she is currently leading in setting agenda to drive research, learning and knowledge exchange activities internationally and has published extensively on inclusion and diversity. Informed by over 30 years experience of working in the health and higher education sectors, her academic and professional work has major impacts locally, nationally and globally. Key among these impacts is that the body of her research work has provided the evidence base for, and a robust understanding of, the development and application of cultural solutions and diversity interventions in public, private and third sector organisations. She is at the forefront of transforming organisational culture for sustainable diversity and inclusion approaches. Her research has provided a unique international definition of positive action and application for representational and participative diversity. She led to completion a major multi-million European Commission funded gender equality research project, GENOVATE, across 7 European Universities and led the EDI elements of a multi-million European Horizon 2020 project, RRING, in collaboration with 20 international partners.
Dr Ade Oyedijo
Dr. Ade Oyedijo is the Founder and Director of the Society of Black Academics (SBA). He is an award-winning academic whose research and scholarship centres around developing sustainable global supply chains. Dr. Oyedijo’s research has garnered recognition from policy-makers, such as the UK Parliament, practitioners such The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, independent international organisations like The World Economic Forum, and has secured funding from entities such as The British Academy. He is an agenda contributor at the World Economic Forum, where he shapes the global agenda on sustainable supply chain management. He presently holds the position of Regional Editor (Africa) for the Journal of Supply Chain Management and is a member of the Editorial Review Board for the Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management. He also serves as the current director of the IPSERA Africa Initiative, a platform that fosters collaborative knowledge production among purchasing and supply management researchers in Africa.
Dr Opeoluwa Aiyenitaju
Dr. Opeoluwa Aiyenitaju is a lecturer in Business Information Systems at Manchester Metropolitan University UK. Her comprehensive background spans multiple disciplines, encompassing digital technologies, business information systems, and work-life balance. With a robust foundation in Agile Project Management, Scrum, and Salesforce, she employs a holistic approach to drive organisational growth. Beyond academia, Ope is deeply committed to community service. Currently, she dedicates her time as a school governor in a local primary school, actively contributing to educational governance. Simultaneously, she serves as the education manager within the Society of Black Academics, demonstrating her commitment to promoting educational excellence and inclusivity. In her pursuit of ongoing development, Ope holds the esteemed title of Senior Fellow of The Higher Education Academy, highlighting her dedication to advancing teaching and learning practices. Her dynamic leadership, coupled with a passion for education, positions her as a transformative figure in both academic and community spheres.
Josh Freeman
Josh is Policy Manager at HEPI. He was a co-author on the joint report with GatenbySanderson and SBA, ‘Unblocking the Pipeline: Supporting the Retention, Progression and Promotion of Black Early-Career Academics’. His other work at HEPI has included research on the minimum income standard for students, artificial intelligence, foundation year courses and student debating unions. He previously worked as a Maths and Politics teacher on the Teach First programme.