S07E02: The future of race and inclusion in student accommodation

Hot off the launch of the new Living Black at University Commission report, we’re continuing our focus on the future of sustainability within purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) with this month’s episode on race and inclusion in student accommodation.

With Black students being the UK’s fastest-growing student demographic, greater inclusion of Black students is increasingly important for those who own and operate purpose-built student accommodation.

Our guests explore the impact of student accommodation on the awarding gap, what steps the purpose-built student accommodation sector has made towards greater race equity since Living Black at University was published in February 2022, and how universities and accommodation providers can make further strides towards race equity in future.

Hosted by Jenny Shaw, HE External Engagement Director at Unite Students, this episode’s guests include:

• tara leach, Senior Advisor (Equality Charters) at Advance HE
• Rebecca O’Hare, Interim Deputy Director of Residential Services at University of Leeds
• Sam Kingsley, Head of Belonging and Engagement at Unite Students

Jenny also shares some interview clips from March’s Living Black at University Conference, speaking to Andy Owusu, former Office for Students Mental Health Project Officer for Black Students at London South Bank University, and Osaro Otobo, Consultant at Halpin Partnership and project manager on the original Living Black at University report.

Accommodation Matters brings together sector experts to discuss the Higher Education sector’s key issues through the lens of student accommodation. This episode was recorded on 10th November 2023 and produced by Ed Palmer.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are the personal views of individual guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unite Students and/or Unite Group plc.

 

Resources

The Living Black at University Commission report, published on 14th November 2023, is available for download now: https://www.unitegroup.com/living-black-commission-report

The original Living Black at University report, published in February 2022, can be found at the Unite Group website: https://www.unitegroup.com/living-black-at-university

More information on Advance HE’s Athena SWAN and Race Equality Charters is available at the Advance HE website: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/charters

‘Meeting the needs of neurodivergent students’, a March 2023 report on neurodivergent students’ needs in student accommodation, can be downloaded from the Unite Group website: https://www.unitegroup.com/neurodivergent-students-report

The Unite Students Commission on Living Black at University website, featuring downloadable Commission resources, can be found here: https://www.unitegroup.com/unite-students-commission-on-living-black-at-university