Academics at Lancaster University and partner universities brought together staff and students from across the UK to discuss decolonisation and anti-racism in Higher Education.
More than 60 staff and students from different universities in the United Kingdom met in Lancaster to attend a one day-symposium titled: 'Are we still decolonising the university? Reclaiming anti-colonialism and anti-racism in Higher Education.'
The event was hosted by Dr Sunita Abraham (Lancaster University), Dr Laura Key and Lucy Potter (York St John University), and Dr Leon Moosavi (University of Liverpool).
It was open to all staff and students in UK Higher Education (HE) with the aim of bringing together individuals who work in the broad area of decolonisation, anti-racism, and anti-colonialism, or who are otherwise interested in reckoning with the legacies of slavery and empire today.
Professor Kendi Guantai, Lancaster University's new Dean for Culture and Inclusion, opened the day and highlighted the necessity of shifting our academic foundation from a singular, Eurocentric epistemology toward a broader, more equitable architecture of global knowledge.
Participants came from different parts of the United Kingdom (UK), representing a range of disciplinary backgrounds, interests, and stages in their studies or career. It was a diverse audience who shared an interest and passion but who also had different experiences and perspectives to share.
The context for the event is the increasing push-back against the use of the word 'decolonisation,' inherent dangers in its interpretation and practice, and its co-option into mainstream narratives that depoliticise its content and intent.
Whilst these issues have led some colleagues to discard the term altogether, others attending the event felt that the term needs to be reclaimed to inform a progressive agenda which will transform Higher Education (HE) for the better.
Given that efforts at decolonisation can be disjointed and reactionary, the symposium aimed at providing space for participants to suggest ideas, highlight challenges and discuss ways forward in relation to setting up a decolonisation network for colleagues working in British universities.
Many of the discussions centred around the growing urgency of developing and supporting decolonising initiatives in the current political context, the need to hold universities to account for their earlier commitments whilst continuing to build solidarity, and facilitating inclusive communal spaces for critical discussion, debate and sharing practice across the sector.
This appeal to community was a key outcome of the day, with those present generally agreeing that the establishment of a UK decolonisation network would be a positive step forward in helping to shape and progress the next ten years of decolonising practice in UK universities.
It was agreed that the next step should be to hold an online space for colleagues to come together to discuss how such a network should operate, and to what end, and to consider our respective roles and contributions.
