Dr Giuseppe Cantafio and Chris Macallister, University of Sunderland in London The concept of decolonization has been developed by a range of progressive articles ((Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths, and Helen Tiffin (1989) Boaventura de Sousa Santos (2009), Walter Mignolo (2011), Gurminder K. Bhambra (2017) and Sultana (2019). These publications themselves have also spawned a wealth of documents and policies primarily aimed at “decolonising the syllabus”. The authors propose that “decolonising the syllabus” is an important, but not exclusive aspect of the student journey and the propose the alternative terminology of “decolonising the student experience”. This requires a holistic rather than constrained approach that involves the consideration and identification of potential barriers to all students based on ex-colonial paradigms throughout the complete student journey. The complete student journey (see attached diagram) includes, but not limited to the application processes, programme induction, library and accommodation and catering facilities, etc. The challenge becomes the development of a unique decolonisation culture within each University so that it permeates and embraces every aspect of the governance, strategic and operational premise of the institution. The proposed workshop will require participants to form groups (of a maximum of 6) and they will be presented with the attached document to choose the area of the University operations (except the curriculum) they wish to examine in terms of decolonisation initiatives. Once they have had time to brainstorm for ideas they will be presented with summarised research (if available) to help develop their ideas further. The authors will move between the groups and act as facilitators and encourage deeper thinking with regard to decolonisation. At the end of the workshop, participants will have a fresh appreciation of the ingrained and established barriers that BAME students which face with regard to the particular service/facility as part of their student journey. This presentation was delivered at Reimagining Higher Education: journeys of decolonising at De Montfort University, Leicester, on Wednesday 8th November 2023.

1. Reimagining Higher Education: journeys of decolonising
Wednesday 8 November 2023 De Montfort University, Leicester UK
Forging an Inclusive Future:
The Decolonisation journey
for improving the Student Experience
Associate Prof Geoff Paul, University of Sunderland in London
Dr Giuseppe Umberto Cantafio, University of Sunderland in London
Christopher MacAllister, University of Sunderland in London

2. Forging an Inclusive Future: The Decolonisation journey for improving the Student
Experience
Abstract:
Decolonization in academia: a key part of the discourse of the societal expectations of Higher
Education since the publication of the early authoritative works in the field Fanon (1961) and
progressive articles (Ashcroft, Griffiths, and Tiffin (1989) de Sousa Santos (2009), Mignolo
(2011), Bhambra (2017) and Sultana (2019). These publications themselves have been aimed at
“Decolonising the syllabus”.
The authors propose that “Decolonising the syllabus” is an important, but not exclusive aspect
of the student journey and the propose the alternative terminology
“Decolonising the student experience”. This requires a holistic rather than constrained
approach that involves the identification of potential barriers to all students based on ex-
colonial paradigms throughout the complete student journey.
This approach broadens the decolonisation agenda to the complete student journey (see slide
4) so that it permeates and embraces every aspect of the governance, strategic and operational
premise of the institution.

3. Decolonising the Student Experience

4. Decolonising the Student Experience
EDI Agenda for Students
Alumni Experience
Student Journey
Student
Services and
Student
Admin
Housing
SU and
Societies
Library Careers
Achievement of Advance HE Race Charter
External/ Community/
Marketing
Application
and Registration
Induction
Decolonising
the Syllabus
Graduation

5. Decolonising the Student Experience
EDI Agenda for Students
Alumni Experience
Student Journey
Achievement of Advance HE Race Charter
External/ Community/
Marketing
Application
and Registration
Induction
Decolonising
the Syllabus
Graduation
Student
Services and
Student
Admin
Housing
SU and
Societies
Library Careers

6. Decolonising the Student Experience
EDI Agenda for Students Alumni Experience
Student Journey
Housing
SU and
Societies
Library Careers
Achievement of Advance HE Race Charter
External/ Community/
Marketing
Induction Decolonising the
Syllabus
Application
and Registration
Graduation
Student
Services and
Student
Admin
Alumni have been actively involved to co-produce with students a University
Decolonising Plan, approved by the Academic Board (Takhar, 2023)
“Numbers of black practitioners cannot be changed overnight, however,
recruitment processes and support for students and alumni can be addressed”
(Moncrieffe, 2019).
Alumni could be invited to
contribute to create works and
testimonies about their
student/professional
experience (e.g. from
University of Brighton, and
UoSiL)

7. BAME Students in University Accommodation
Key findings*
•More than half (54%) of Black students surveyed report having been the victim of some form
victim of some form of racism in their accommodation and over two-thirds (64%) of all
(64%) of all student respondents report having witnessed acts of racism.
•Black students report an overall less positive experience in their accommodation, compared

8. From a
needs to a
“rights
analysis”
Traditional approach in English for academic
purposes –
The needs analysis – what do students need to
meet the expectations of their departments a
‘subaltern’ approach?
To a “rights analysis” – what do students have a
right to expect from their university experience
(Benesch 2001)
“a rights analysis” approach = voice, co-
creation…

9. Decolonising the Student Experience
REFERENCES
• Benesch, S., 2001. Critical English for Academic Purposes: Theory, Politics, and Practice.
• Moncrieffe, M., Asare, Y., Dunford, R., Youssef, H., Lloyd, A., Hall, J., Salaman, N., Shahvisi, A.,
Catteree, R., Johnson, H. and Edmond, N., 2019. Decolonising the curriculum: teaching and learning
about race equality.
• Museus, S.D., Ledesma, M.C. and Parker, T.L., 2015. Racism and racial equity in higher education:
AEHE Volume 42, Number 1. John Wiley & Sons.
• Noguera, P.A., 2001. Racial politics and the elusive quest for excellence and equity in
education. Education and urban society, 34(1), pp.18-41.
• Sultana, F., 2019. Decolonizing development education and the pursuit of social justice. Human
Geography, 12(3), pp.31-46.
• Takhar, S. 2023. The Student Voice: Decolonising the Curriculum. Equity in Education &
Society, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/27526461231192671

10. Reimagining Higher Education: journeys of decolonising
Wednesday 8 November 2023 De Montfort University, Leicester UK
Thank you!
Contacts:
Associate Professor Geoff Paul, Geoff.Paul@sunderland.ac.uk
Dr Giuseppe Umberto Cantafio, Giuseppe.Cantafio@sunderland.ac.uk
Christopher MacAllister, Christopher.MacAllister@sunderland.ac.uk