UCC launches Race Equality Network

5 Oct 2023

• The Network will work with UCC leadership to challenge race inequality across higher education and in wider society.

University College Cork (UCC) formally launched the University’s Race Equality Network on Tuesday, 3 October. Launched during UCC’s Equality Week, the Race Equality Network aims to improve the representation, progression and success of staff from minority groups.

UCC is committed to enhancing diversity and promoting equality and inclusion amongst all staff and students. The foundational work for the Network began in 2019 with the establishment of the Race Equality Forum in UCC. The Forum listened to the experiences of staff and students of racial and ethnic minorities, learning from their experiences and producing a series of recommendations for the University.

Building on this work, the newly launched Race Equality Network will seek to build a caring community that can contribute to the important advocacy and awareness-raising that the issue of racism requires and will work with UCC leadership to challenge race inequality across higher education and in wider society.

Dr Amanullah De Sondy, Chair of the UCC Race Equality Forum, said: “I’m delighted to see our Race Equality Forum progress to a Race Equality Network with this launch. Unfortunately, racism is real, on the rise and connected to all our inequalities. This transition continues to highlight UCC's commitment to anti-racism as established by the Higher Education Authority's (HEA) Anti-Racism Principles. The Race Equality Network will support, strengthen and nurture our minority ethnic staff and students in solidarity with our allies.”

Speaking at the launch Professor Stephen Byrne, Deputy President and Registrar said “Creating an anti-racist campus is an institutional obligation, and as an institution UCC is committed to bringing about that cultural shift in thinking about inclusion and diversity in a way that effects positive change in relation to race equality. This shift has been included in our strategic planning and will be embedded across the campus community.”

Dr Claire Murray, Interim Director of UCC’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit and UCC law lecturer, said: “Today’s launch is a flagship event in UCC’s Equality Week. This week, through a series of events we celebrate and highlight the impressive work that is being done throughout UCC to advance equality across the campus and wider society. The Race Equality Network is a strong example of that.”

The Race Equality Network was set as part of a joint priority action between the UCC Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit and the UCC Equality Committee in response to an identified need for anti-racist action to improve race equality across higher education.