University of Bolton launches programme to help boost numbers of UK Vice Chancellors from ethnic minorities

The University of Bolton has launched an innovative new programme aimed at tackling the underrepresentation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff in senior positions within UK higher education.

The Aspiring Vice Chancellor (VC) Development Programme is part of the University’s partnership with the Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN).

The programme, which begins in September, is a response from University of Bolton President and Vice Chancellor, Professor George E Holmes DL, to increase the significantly low number of Vice Chancellors from Black and Asian backgrounds across the country.

Initially, a small cohort of 10 aspiring Vice Chancellors will be mentored and coached by those holding positions at the highest level of higher education and across other sectors. During the programme they will be supported to complete live briefs for their respective organisations.

There are currently six VCs from a BAME background in HEI universities or colleges in England out of 165 universities in the UK.

Despite the rising rates of ethnic minority students entering higher education both nationally and internationally and achieving higher-level qualifications to PhD level, this achievement is not reflected in the representation of ethnic minority individuals in professorial roles or higher.

In developing the programme, the University of Bolton has collaborated with a diverse pool of influential stakeholders across the academic and business sector.

Professor Holmes officially launched the programme during a virtual event, graced by dignitaries including Professor Charles Egbu, Vice Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University; Professor Udy Archibong MBE, Pro Vice Chancellor of the University Bradford and Sir Geoff Palmer, Professor Emeritus and Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.

He said: “We are really proud to be launching this programme, particularly as we describe ourselves as one of the most inclusive and accessible universities in Britain, if not the world.

“We are exceptionally proud of our diversity and our richness of culture and we are particularly aware of the discrimination faced by many of our students and staff groups associated with that diversity.

“I set up this programme to help to overcome the barriers around individuals achieving their full potential in a way that they should be entitled to do.

Professor Lisa-Dionne Morris, who is Professor of Public and Industry Understanding of Capability Design at the University of Leeds and a prospective candidate on the new programme, said: “This is a proactive step towards nurturing future academic leaders, providing them with a structural pathway to excel in higher education. It underscores commitment to fostering a new generation of Vice Chancellors.”

Professor Egbu said: “Often you feel very low and you need somebody to prop you up. I've had privilege of mentoring so many black leaders and many of them have dropped by the wayside and it really worries me.

“These are people who have the potential to go as far as anybody else. So, we need to have that community that keeps supporting us because the journey is a hard journey and it will continuously be a hard journey for everyone, even our white counterparts, to become a Vice Chancellor.”

Professor Holmes added: ““This is about giving everybody on this programme a ‘power surge’ to assist in the opportunity, to achieve the position of Vice Chancellor in the UK, a much-coveted position.”

“We are here to truly make a difference to people’s lives and opportunities.”

Applications are open to prospective candidates. For further information, visit: https://www.bolton.ac.uk/vc-programme