Upon joining Leeds Trinity University in 2020, Professor Charles Egbu became the UK’s first Black Vice-Chancellor. We sat down with Charles for Black History Month to discuss the barriers he has encountered throughout his career in Higher Education (HE) and analyse the state of the sector from a race equity perspective.

Can you give us a brief overview of how you got into HE and your journey so far?

My primary and secondary education was conducted in Nigeria. Sadly, I lost my father in my late teens, so I came over to the UK to join my mother, who was a student nurse back then. I did my A levels here in Leeds, and then I went to do a degree in quantity surveying at Leeds Metropolitan University (now Leeds Beckett). That wasn't what I wanted to do, or what my parents wanted me to do. My initial plan had been to become a medical doctor, but having lost my father, the motivation dipped, and I wanted to stay close to my mother. So, I applied to a course I didn't know anything about at the time because it had spaces in Clearing. As fate would have it, I enjoyed the first year, I did quite well throughout, and I came out with first-class honours.

I was then offered a studentship to do a PhD in construction management at the University of Salford, before going to University College London to do postdoctoral research, and that's where it all started. I then became a senior research fellow, lecturer, senior lecturer, reader, professor at Glasgow Caledonian University, and Acting Head of School of the Built Environment at the University of Salford. And then a Dean of School of the Built Environment and Architecture at London Southbank University. Subsequently, I went on to become a Pro Vice-Chancellor of Education and Experience at the University of East London and then joined Leeds Trinity University five years ago as a Vice-Chancellor. That gives a brief trajectory of my education and career in higher education, which has spanned a period of 35 years now.

What challenges have you faced on your journey to becoming the UK’s first Black VC?

As early as my A levels and at university, I would find myself to be the only Black person in a class. I experienced some discrimination, harassment and name calling. I remember walking on a construction site, as part of my training as a quantity surveyor, and hearing people saying things or noticing a surveillance attitude from them: “we don't know what he's up to, just keep watching him”. 

There was also the need to prove myself more than every other person. But my resilience, my inner belief, my positive mental attitude, my humility, the faith that tomorrow is always better than today, stood me in good stead. And of course, the ability to work closely with others and seek support, I think is important. No one person is an island; you cannot succeed on your own. You need to work with people. So, when things were hard, I had the opportunity to ask for support. I couldn't have done it on my own.

Why is it important that we observe Black History Month?

Black History Month is about recognition and celebration of the contribution of Black people to the UK. Whilst we've singled out this month, it should be something we do all year round. It's about understanding that we all need to see one another, appreciate one another, and respect the dignity that everybody has. It's also about understanding that there is power in unity and there is magnanimity in being open to everybody, tolerating and recognising everybody, and drawing from every talent. Bringing all these talents together is powerful in helping us to move our society forward.

You’re one of only two Black VCs leading UK universities, and you’ve been a champion for race equity for some time, including chairing groups with Universities UK exploring this topic. What do you think of the state of HE in terms of race equity at the moment?

I think the positive to be put forward very early on is that in the last few years we have seen a growth in the number of Black people going into HE, which is hugely pleasing.

What I think is troubling is that many of these students are not retained in the sector. The percentage of Black students that drop out compared to their white counterparts is very high. Their continuation and progression statistics are worse than those of their white counterparts. Those who continue their studies then face an awarding gap challenge, meaning that the proportion of Black students that get first class or 2:1 degrees is proportionately lower compared to white students. The same is true of graduate outcomes. And it gets much more depressing when we look at the proportion of Black students going on to do research degrees or the PhD studentship received by students from Black and African heritage backgrounds; it is really poor.

Then we have the issue of senior roles in HE. I am the UK’s first Black Vice-Chancellor and since I was in post, there has been one more, Professor David Mba, the Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham City University. Having only two Black VCs across over 160 universities is very worrying, and even more so when we look at intersectionality, for example the fact that we are still expecting and eager to have at least a hundred Black female professors across the country. The pipeline towards achieving senior academic positions appears broken, if not blocked, for the Black student and staff.

When we think of how we could continue to get senior people of colour in the sector, evidently the foundational premise is very weak, and we have a long way to go. I started by saying that there's some glimmer of hope because more students and senior leaders of colour are entering the sector, but we all need to work very hard to make sure there's a strong sense of belonging, so our Black and Global Majority students are retained, can thrive, meaningfully contribute and have confidence in the higher education sector

I know that my colleagues here at Leeds Trinity, at Universities UK (UUK) Black Leaders in Higher Education (BLHE), and at Advanced HE are working tirelessly to make sure we create a climate where everybody has an opportunity to grow, move through their educational journey and career, succeed, and have a fulfilling and meaningful career, where they are not harassed, and where they are given opportunity like every other person. It's something I have been trying to champion for more than three decades.

Leadership plays an important role, and leaders need to do more. We need to set the right tone and direction. We also need to be asking ourselves how we are measuring the impact of our interventions and what is going on. How do we make sure that the positive impact is sustained, and how do we all champion this?

We need people to support this at every stage in such a way that the culture in HE is one that speaks truly of social justice, inclusivity, and equity for all.

Leeds Trinity has an ambition to be recognised as an anti-racist university, and we are also striving to join a select group of universities who have been awarded the silver Race Equality Charter (REC). You have championed this work at Leeds Trinity. What is your vision and hopes for the University?

Our University is a place where the notion of social justice thrives. Our forebearers (Sisters of Cross and Passion, and the Catholic Education Services) talked about the dignity of everybody from very early on. They talked about the common good, and in Catholic social teaching, common good means that everybody has talent, they have dignity, we need to respect and honour that, and we need to allow that to thrive.

To me, Leeds Trinity is built on that common good, where everybody is respected, where there's tolerance and understanding of everybody, where we all recognise that individuals have talents and we provide them with opportunity. We are a university where respect and reciprocity are important, where understanding and tolerance are paramount, where each one of us should be seen, be heard and be given opportunity to thrive. And we do that intentionally and purposefully.

I am delighted that in 2020, we were the first university in Yorkshire to receive the REC Bronze, and I am hugely optimistic about our chances to receive the REC Silver this year, which shows we are deeply committed to equity and inclusion in all we do. These things don't come because we simply want them to, but because we put in place the appropriate environment, and we support colleagues in helping to forge ahead a true culture of inclusivity, that we are working to make sure it's embedded wholesomely, authentically and truthfully in everything we do. We are proud to work across the region, with institutions including Leeds City Council and the Leeds Learning Alliance, because individual organisations are not an island. So, if we want to do what we are preaching well, in social justice and inclusivity, we also need to be taking it to the community and into our homes, so it is seamless and authentic.

Why is Leeds Trinity important to you? What is your favourite thing about it?

I'm really privileged and honoured to be the Vice-Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University, and I chose it because of its origin and purpose. It's a university where social justice is at the heart of what we do. It's a place where the dignity of everybody is uppermost and where each individual is a name, not a number. We are a non-judgmental university, where learners and students come from many diverse backgrounds, and from very deprived areas of the community. We welcome them and support them. We do not take a deficit-model approach in how we educate and train them. Firstly, we see the good in them, and in the talents, they come to us with. It gives me a huge level of pride and happiness to lead individuals who are using the power of education to transform lives in a very personalised way, while prioritising dignity and respect, to make sure we realise the potential of each one of our learners.