Open Letter requesting EDI scholarships at all UK universities

Dear colleagues

I would like to thank Russell Group https://russellgroup.ac.uk for responding to the Open Letter requesting scholarships that I published. I thank Russell Group for assurance on their commitment for increasing opportunity for all students. I greatly appreciate the supportive response from Russell Group to my Open Letter. I thank all Russell Group universities for their many initiatives to help students from all backgrounds. 

It is good to hear that progress is being made to increase in the number of disadvantaged students at Russell Group universities over the last 5 years. I am happy to also note that each Russell Group university will offer a range of support to prospective and current students and this support will consider their local context and specific needs of their students. This is excellent to know.

I am informed that whilst Russell Group don’t hold a comprehensive list of full scholarships offered, these can be found on their members webpages. So I will appreciate it if you are working in a Russell Group University to please share the list of full scholarships offered in your university. 

I came from a humble background. I was able to pursue my higher education because of scholarships that I had received from universities and also because of the kindness and support that I received from many people during my studies. 

I have been volunteering my efforts for over a decade for providing higher education opportunities for more first-generation students and for students from economically poor families.

More details at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/please-share-ideas-providing-higher-education-more-first-anand/

Even though my initial Open Letter for Scholarships was to Russell Group universities, I think all UK Universities should consider providing more full scholarships.

Information from the Child Poverty Action Group  highlights that there were 3.9 million children living in poverty in the UK in 2020-21. Details at https://cpag.org.uk/child-poverty/child-poverty-facts-and-figures

Child poverty, education and the postcode lottery

https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2020/08/19/child-poverty-education-and-the-postcode-lottery/

Are there any statistics of full scholarships provided by all UK Universities to disadvantaged students in the last 5 years? 

There is an urgent need for all UK Universities to expand full scholarship programs for Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) students, students from economically poor families and first-generation students. 

I request all vice-chancellors and senior management in all UK Universities to please consider my humble request for providing new 100 full scholarships per year at each UK university for BAME students, students from economically poor families and first-generation students. 

If you are working at a UK university, please share my open letter with your university management. Thanks. 

Details at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/open-letter-requesting-scholarships-all-russell-group-suchith-anand

 I am very grateful for the kind messages of support that I received from many colleagues in universities across the UK for this open letter. I am hopeful that there will be more new full scholarship programs that all Universities in the UK will start. As most UK universities have EDI policies, these EDI scholarships will help strengthen EDI policies of the universities. Nice policies are not enough. Actions on providing full scholarships are needed.

"Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” is a Sanskrit phrase which means "The World Is One Family". I am very grateful to all amazing colleagues from around the world working for making education opportunities for all. 

Thank you again to Russell Group for their firm support and commitment for increasing opportunity for all students. 

I look forward to working with all UK universities to increase education opportunities for all students.  

Best wishes

 Suchith

Dr Suchith Anand

Senior Adviser to Governments and International Organisations | Scientist | Board member | Governance | Policy | Consultant in Data Science and Data Ethics | Global Citizen | SDG Volunteer and Advocate

https://council.science/profile/suchith-anand/

https://www.rd-alliance.org/users/suchith-anand

https://ethicaldatainitiative.org

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