Black studies course axed as students raise concerns over 'contradicting' DEI aims
Five Black members of staff are at risk of redundancy at Birmingham City University and students say it doesn't seem to align with pledges made by the institution.
Black studies course axed as students raise concerns over ‘contradicting’ DEI aims
In a letter seen by the Community Reporter, students say plans to cancel the course months after it started have ‘damaged trust in the university’
STORY BY MELISSA SIGODO
JUNE 4, 2026
Birmingham City University (BCU) students have raised concerns that the institution is “contradicting” its own equality, diversity and inclusion strategy following plans to axe its MA in Black studies and global justice.
Five Black staff members are now at risk of redundancy just months after the course began.
The announcement comes following the closure of BCU’s Black studies undergraduate course in 2024 and lecturers who now face losing their jobs include the UK’s first professor of Black studies Professor Kehinde Andrews along with Sociology lecturer Dr Kadian Pow.
Dr Pow has slammed the plan labelling it a “systemic failure”, and in a letter seen by the Community Reporter written to Vice-Chancellors, Professor Donna Whitehead and Professor David Mba - students have accused BCU of a ‘significant failure in its duty of care’ and have raised concerns over the university appearing to ‘contradict’ its DEI aims.
Speaking anonymously to the Community Reporter, one student who planned to join the course this year said the announcement left them feeling ‘undervalued.’
They said: “Nobody knows how to feel about it because it’s kind of like, ‘if they could just get rid of us that easily, how much do they respect us as academics?’
“A lot of the events that Black studies have hosted had a direct impact with the [Black] community. We had events based in community centres or things that literally directly contributed and reflected the community.
“So now that we don’t have that in a higher education space, it shows the community that they’re not valued, their academics are not valued, the effort that they put in is not valued. It doesn’t give a good message out to the community.”
In the letter to the vice chancellors, students highlighted the university’s aims to “actively participate in equality charters to make BCU a more accessible and inclusive university, improving outcomes for disadvantaged communities.”
The university’s DEI strategy states that its Race Equality Charter would work on “improving the representation, progression and success of minority ethnic staff and students in higher education” however, students say that plans to shut down the Black studies course appear to “contradict” BCU’s goals.
The undergraduate says the response to their concerns which was not written by the vice chancellors, told them to fill out a complaint form.
The student said: “They just said, ‘thanks for the email, and sorry, you feel this way. If you want to complain, here’s the formal complaint form’.”
Overall, students expressed that the cancellation of the course had damaged “trust and confidence” in the university.
Professor Andrews and Dr Pow say the course is unique to others across the country as it includes a “community orientated” aspect which has seen students get involved in the Black community in various ways such as packing aid for those affected by Hurricane Melissa.
Dr Pow who is Jamaican-born and moved to the UK from the US says that community stakeholder involvement is important to Black studies as ‘Blackness is community oriented.’
She said: “Blackness is very community oriented itself because Blackness is under attack and relegated. If we’re not sticking together, it makes it even more difficult.
“So, if you’re studying Black studies, one of the things you have to do is know how to have empathy and love for Black people, and that means helping and being in community with Black people.”
The university recently welcomed renowned US civil rights advocate Kimberlé Crenshaw onto campus for a highly anticipated event organised by staff.
Despite successful high profile gatherings, lecturers say they have been told their work will end this month before the course completes in September due to ‘low uptake.’
Staff added that the eight students on the course will be forced to rely on one staff member till then.
Professor Andrews said: “[Black studies] was one of the best for employability and definitely in terms of postgraduate study that I’ve ever seen. A lot of students came with very few qualifications with them [who were] mature students. They just wouldn’t have come to university at all if it were not for Black studies.
“I’ve always said the problem with the uptake is that the marketing has been horrendous.
“They just seem to just do the normal promotion for any degree but it’s completely unique because there’s no degree like it. So, it really needs a different approach. It just hasn’t been given a chance.”
England’s higher education sector is facing a growing financial crisis and Dr Pow says that universities across the country are cutting humanities programmes amid the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
She says that the move by educational institutions was adding to the “decline” of “critical thinking.”
Dr Pow said: “We see the rise of AI and people depending on that a rise of STEM, and everybody wanting to make everything towards science and engineering.
“But the humanities and social sciences - that makes us human. That’s what enabled us to have critical thinking skills and literacy and critical thinking. It’s in decline.
“By getting rid of programmes like this, that’s where I’m talking about systemic failure.
“We’re adding to the decline in how people’s perspectives and how we think of each other, how our political knowledge, our sociological and humanity knowledge.
“It’s a decision that will impact, not just the staff that are currently there, not just the students that are currently there but it’s impacting the future of education.”
Professor Andrews claims he was told that an equality impact assessment had not been done before announcing the plans.
He said: “They even admitted they’re supposed to do their equality impact assessments by law and they told us they didn’t do it.”
A spokesperson for BCU said: “Following a review of Birmingham City University’s postgraduate portfolio, a small number of courses will be withdrawn from September due to low demand for master’s level study in the respective subject areas. This includes MA Black Studies and Global Justice. The University is exploring opportunities for alternative provision in each case.
“A consultation process is underway with affected staff to discuss the impact of the course closures and explore reasonable options to minimise roles at risk. Any proposals are part of this ongoing consultation, no final decisions on staffing have been taken, so it would not be appropriate to comment on potential outcomes at this time.
“All current students will be able to complete their studies. Applicants holding offers will be supported to explore suitable alternative options, either at Birmingham City University or elsewhere.”