This document outlines the decolonization efforts at the University of Lincoln in the UK. It discusses the local and institutional contexts, including the demographics of the area and university. It describes the university's whole-institution approach to decolonization across curriculum, operations, culture and more. As an example, it focuses on the People Performance and Culture department's work to embed decolonial values and processes in HR policies, practices, and culture while balancing legal requirements. Key discussion questions are posed around where decolonization belongs in British higher education and how to acknowledge and manage potential pushback.

1. PEOPLE, PERFORMANCE & CULTURE:
DECOLONIAL JOURNEYS
Tracey Laing & Simon Obendorf

2. The Human Resources Professional
Tracey Laing
Head of Organisational Development,
Department of People Performance & Culture
The Academic
Simon Obendorf
Academic Lead, Decolonising at Lincoln Project
School of Social & Political Sciences

3. Contexts for Decolonisation
Lincolnshire – among the most Eurosceptic counties in the UK at the Brexit
referendum. “Whitest” county in the UK (93%) at 2011 census.
Post-92 institution. A major employer/economic resource based in a post-
industrial county town of a largely agricultural county.
Town and Gown
Town and County/Country
Historically, strong commitment to widening participation and first-generation
students
Historically, comparatively lower levels of international and BAME students and
staff.
Key sectoral constraints/contexts: graduate employability focus, research
income/outputs/impact, importance of student fee income, attracting/retaining
staff.

4. The Lincoln Approach
A “Whole-of-Institution” Approach – “One Community Values”
Curriculum and Pedagogy
Complementing but separate
from EDI Work (Decolonising
EDI)
People, Performance and
Culture
Operations and Estates
Student Voice
Library and Collections
Reimagining Lincolnshire

5. Decolonising our university means working
together to reimagine our scholarship,
interpersonal relations, teaching, learning,
and professional practices by actively
including previously marginalised knowledge
and ways of knowing.
Neal Juster, Vice-Chancellor

6. Example: People Performance and Culture (Human
Resources)
The session will explore some of the experiences,
successes and challenges the team has encountered in
the following key areas:
• Embedding decoloniality and decolonial processes in
broader discussions of institutional values.
• Balancing institutional commitments to decoloniality with
legal, regulatory and sectoral frameworks and
requirements.
• Working with professional services staff to mainstream
decolonial approaches in policy, practice, and culture.
• Key process interventions: recruitment, induction,
organisational development, performance appraisals,
promotions.
• Differentiating decolonial work from work done
elsewhere in the institution on equality, diversity and
inclusivity.
• Managing dissent and pushback.

7. • Recruitment and selection
• Policies and procedures
• Talent and succession
• Well-being and engagement
• Learning and development
• Reward and recognition
Plans/Strategy

8. • Where does “Decolonisation” (best) belong in British HE?
• As Anti-Racism Work? In/As EDI? Institutional Values?
• Curricula? Pedagogy? Beyond?
• What Should Be the Scope of Our Ambition?
• How Do Institutional Contexts Impact Decolonising Projects?
• Ancients, Russell Group, Post-92
• Populations Served, Institutional Foci, Staff/Student Demographics
• Governance Structures
• How Do We Best Acknowledge and Manage Push-Back/Dissent?
Key Discussion Questions
Over To You!