Seventh BME Early Career Researcher Conference in Leeds sparks international interest
Intro
The University of Leeds, in collaboration with the University of West London, played host to the 7th BME Early Career Researcher Conference last month. The conference, which was originally founded by UWL Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences Dr Bernadine Idowu, this year had a theme of ‘building communities of influence’. It aims to provide resources and support for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) academics who are at an early stage in their careers, helping them to progress and remain in academia and is also open to BME academics at all levels for networking opportunities.
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Over 80 in-person delegates and more than 300 online attendees took part in the event, which included workshops and panel discussions. Keynote presentations came from South African academic Brightness Mangolothi, who is a Director at Higher Education Resource Service – South Africa (HERSSA) and Cambridge University’s youngest Black professor Jason Arday, who is Professor of the Sociology of Education.
Dr Idowu says that in addition to its UK audience, this year’s event attracted online participants from countries including Australia, South Africa, India, Nigeria, Ghana, France and Germany:
It has had a real international reach this time. That is a great achievement, especially in our seventh year, and it must be what happens when you invite an international keynote speaker like Brightness to take part.”
Over recent years, the number of Black professors in UK higher education has started to rise, Bernadine adds:
There were around 40 maybe two years ago, but it's up to 61 now. It is great to see people are joining networks, finding mentors and supporting each other.
Things are progressing, and people are feeling engaged and remaining in academia because they now know what they need to do and how to reach out and get help if required — our network means they're not on their own anymore.”
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