Lived Experiences of Diverse Academics: An Analysis of UK Higher Education Institutions

This thesis explores the lived experiences of BAME academics working in Higher Education in the United Kingdom. The thesis is intended to illuminate the experiences of BAME staff who are working in Higher Education Institutions and are attempting to progress in terms of their career. Participants were drawn from a range of different roles with Higher Education Institutions and these roles included administrative staff and also academics who are at the beginning of their career through to Vice-Chancellors of Universities around the UK. Specifically, this thesis explored the phenomenon of representation of BAME staff in post 1992, Russell Group and Redbrick universities. The purpose of the thesis is response to a number of events that have taken place not only within the UK but within the wider global economy. Events such as Black Lives Matter and the Murder of George Floyd have been catalysts for the investigation and exploration of the lived experiences of BAME staff. This is supported by the literature and bodies such as the UCU who have questioned the role of state organisations and universities around factors that affect representation. In order to investigate the lived experiences of diverse academics this study took an interpretivist approach to explore the complexities of representation with UK Higher Education Institutions. This study drew on critical theory as the methodology as a means to uncover the realities of working in Higher Education and this is done also in light critical race theory which would allow the thesis to draw out counter narratives that have had an impact on the careers of BAME staff. The thesis also makes use of the correspondence theory of truth to conceptualise the reality of working in Higher Education within the UK. This study contributes to new knowledge in a number of different ways. The first of which highlights that structural and covert racism are still prevalent within the UK and in Higher Education institutions and this has contributed to a lack of representation within UK institutions. A significant proportion of BAME staff are still employed on fixed term contracts. The findings also highlight how BAME staff still form part of the out group and individuals in senior positions make use of and withhold resources for personal gain. Fundamentally, the data would suggest there is no integrity behind universities and institutions use BAME staff to enhance their image. The findings are significant because there are several practical recommendations that have been identified that can contribute to creating more representation and in particular line managers have been identified as an effective means to improve representation by providing BAME staff with the resources they need to progress but have been shown to be important with regards to communication important information such as progression opportunities that are not always communicated by Higher Education Institutions. Finally, communication in of itself of opportunities has been deemed as significant as the findings have shown that taking a more targeted approach in terms of providing that information to BAME staff can contribute to improving representation within Higher Education Institutions