Diversity helps but decolonisation is the key to equality in higher education

Equality in higher education has become a hot topic in recent years and there have been many ongoing discussions being made around it. After the revelation of some shocking reports about the experiences of minorities at universities, there is an increasing concern that minority students and academics are being disadvantaged in higher education. For instance, the latest statistics showed that Black students are 50% more likely to drop out of university compared to other students and the main factor contributing to the low retention rate was Black students’ lack of cultural connection with the curriculum, other students, and academic staff. Some other examples of inequality at universities include experiencing discrimination because of religion, women being disadvantaged in science publishing, or racial minorities not being hired for senior academic positions.