The Diversity and Inclusion Student Ambassador Programme is a partnership between the SU and University. We employ Diversity & Inclusion Ambassadors, these are student staff who work with staff members across faculties and professional services to improve the BAME student experience, to close the BAME attainment gap. The University employs Student Partner Interns, who act as Senior Ambassadors on the programme.

The project has come about from research on Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) student experience and outcomes, with findings that the experience of BAME students often go unfulfilled. The project aims to create a sense of belonging, empowerment, and safer spaces for BAME students at the University of Manchester.

There are three key projects D&I Ambassadors are working on currently

Anti-Racism Training

We are developing a set on anti-racism training resources, which can be used across the university. The training resources are being developed focused on 3 areas:

1. Safe Spaces
2. Language
3. Reporting racism and supporting staff and students

Inclusive Teaching Resources

This year we are creating an inclusive curriculum health check system for course units to be used by programme, module convenors, lecturers, and students. A health check is a guide used by faculty staff to address any issues of diversity and inclusivity for teaching and learning.  It supports faculties by making them critically reflect on their current teaching, as well as pinpointing areas that need to be improved and how. Applying a health check to all faculties will critically assess inclusivity and enable staff to identify areas of concern within their curriculum.

Manchester 10/10 project

The Manchester 10/10 programme will act as targeting mechanism for groups that require the most intervention enabling us to create bespoke programmes of support. This programme will prioritise 3 key areas: placements, paid work opportunities and support with first assignments. Relevant research has been conducted to highlight groups that require the most intervention starting with ethnicity. This year using Manchester 10/10 we will be focusing our support on Black students. We will extend the focus to other groups as the program grows gradually fitting into the goals of the Access and Participation Plan.

Should you have any questions about the programme and any of the projects listed, you can get in touch with Neelam Rai, the Diversity and Inclusion Projects Coordinator. Contact email: neelam.rai@manchester.ac.uk