Racial Discrimination at University

Under the Equality Act 2010, universities must treat all students equally regardless of their race. Unfortunately, this does not always happen in practice, with racial discrimination at university continuing to be a serious issue.  We often see the issue of race discrimination being part of a matrix of challenges an undergraduate faces. The good news is that if you have experienced racism at university, you do have strong legal options available to you.

At IBB Law, our specialist education lawyers have the experience to effectively advise and support university students who have experienced racism at their institution. We will listen to your concerns, read your documents and tell you whether we believe you may have been illegally discriminated against. We will then guide and support you through taking appropriate action, including possible compensation.

To find out more, we can offer you a fixed-fee online consultation with one of our specialist education solicitors. This is your chance to have your questions answered and get the information you need to decide what next steps you wish to take.

We only act on behalf of students and their parents. We do not act on behalf of universities or any higher education institution. You can have confidence that we will only act in your best interests. You can rest assured that your case is in the safe hands of experienced professional higher education law experts who are committed to ensuring fair treatment for every one of our clients.

To learn about our experience supporting clients with education law issues, please read our Case Summaries and our more detailed Case Studies, for the full range of work we do.

How can IBB Law’s education law solicitors help you if you are experiencing racial discrimination at university?

Advice on whether racial discrimination has occurred

Exactly what constitutes racial inequality in education settings such as universities is not always obvious. Discrimination can be subtle, and you will need good evidence to support your claims.

Our experts can discuss your situation with you and advise on whether racial discrimination may have occurred and what evidence you will need for a successful claim.

We can also advise on other forms of discrimination in higher education.

Advice for students on diversity and inclusion policies at universities

Understanding your university’s diversity and inclusion policy can be an important step in understanding your situation and options. If you can demonstrate that your university has breached its policy around racial discrimination, then it can make it easier to swiftly resolve an issue. Even if the policies are not clear, you still have the law to support your case.

Our team can review your university’s diversity and inclusion policy with reference to your situation, tell you whether we believe a breach has occurred, advise you on the specific terms that have been breached and what action you can take against the university to remedy the position, including obtaining compensation.

Reporting racial discrimination to your university

In the first instance, you will generally need to raise a concern about racial inequality at the university through your institution’s complaints procedure. This gives your university the chance to offer an early resolution to the issue.

We can advise you on how your university’s complaints procedure works and assist you with preparing your complaint or an appeal. We can also support you through any hearings that take place, giving you the best chance of securing a fair outcome as quickly as possible.

Making a racial discrimination claim

If you are unable to secure a fair resolution through your university’s complaints procedure, then you may need to take your racial discrimination claim to court. We are education law experts and experts in taking cases to court to ensure you are able to bring the university to account. It is important to have the right evidence and legal representation from specialist education solicitors to ensure your claim is as strong as possible.

Our team can support you through making a claim, assist with building your case and provide representation for university appeal hearings, court hearings and tribunal hearings, where required.

Our fees for help with racial discrimination at university

So that you can explore how we can help with racial inequality in education, we offer a fixed-fee initial online consultation with one of our specialist education solicitors. They will listen to your concerns, consider any documents you have during the consultation meeting and provide honest, realistic advice on whether we can help and what your options are.

To arrange your consultation, please contact Kinjal or Rachael, our education law legal administrators, on 01895 207 961, or email educationteam@ibblaw.co.uk. They can send you a link to an online booking suite so you can select a day and time that is convenient for your fixed fee consultation.

Following your initial consultation, if you require our further assistance, we will advise you on the likely costs for any further support. All costs will be agreed in advance with our exact fees depending on the nature of the work to be undertaken and the time involved. We aim to be transparent in our advice on costs so you are in control and know in advance how much you are spending.

For more information on our education law pricing, please get in touch.

Common questions about racial inequality in education

What are some examples of types of racial discrimination at university?

Racial discrimination means that someone is treated worse than others as a result of recognised racial characteristics, such as skin colour, ethnicity or nationality. This discrimination can either be direct or indirect.

Direct racial discrimination is where someone is actively treated worse than another person would be due to their race. In a university context, examples of direct racial discrimination can include being turned down for admission, not receiving opportunities such as scholarships, or being on the receiving end of racist abuse and harassment.

Indirect racial discrimination is where a rule, policy or practice exists that puts people of a particular race at a disadvantage. Examples of indirect racial discrimination at university include not providing fair recognition to qualifications from another country.

Another form of racial discrimination that can occur in settings such as universities is victimisation. This is where a person is treated unfairly because they have made a complaint or have helped someone else to make a complaint. The Equality Act 2010 provides specific protection from victimisation.

What laws protect university students from racial discrimination?

Students are protected from racial inequality at university by the Equality Act 2010. Under the Act, race can refer to a person’s skin colour, nationality, citizenship, ethnic or national origins.

What responsibilities do universities have to prevent racial discrimination?

Universities have a legal duty to prevent racial discrimination (and discrimination based on other protected characteristics) under the terms of the Equality Act 2010. This includes a ‘public sector equality duty’ that places specific responsibilities on public sector bodies such as universities. The public sector equality duty places a general duty on universities to eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation.

A university must ensure that its policies and procedures do not have a discriminatory effect. They should provide appropriate training to staff, have effective reporting systems and collect relevant data to demonstrate how well they are meeting their obligations.

What should you do if you are experiencing racial discrimination at university?

If you believe you have experienced racism at university, it is a good idea to seek expert advice as soon as possible. You can then have a clear picture of whether racism has occurred and your options, including financial compensation.

As outlined above, in the first instance, you will usually need to raise the issue through your university’s complaints system. If this does not produce a satisfactory outcome, you may then be able to make a racial discrimination claim in court.

What others say about IBB’s specialist education solicitors

“We can’t thank you enough for your expert assistance throughout this case and we particularly appreciated the clarity and kindness you showed in every communication. The matter could have escalated very unpleasantly except for your intervention, for which we are extremely grateful.”

“My matter was dealt and over with quite quickly with a happy outcome.”

“From the outset, they listened and guided me through my options. I have been struck by the consistency in their process, their professionalism and empathy. Their strengths have definitely been in their willingness to collaborate with other legal professionals in order to give you the best possible chance of success. They don’t shy away from meeting online, so I really feel understood and cared for.”

“Very personal service where nothing is too much trouble. Prompt in all responses and no stone left unturned to advise thoroughly ensuring the best decision is made. Impressive high standards in all aspects of service. I can’t rate them highly enough.”

“I believe IBB Law Education Team have shown themselves to be true to their word. They have collaborated with me in terms of what to expect at each stage of my case. Their practice is transparent and open, and they are clear and concise regarding the fees.”

“The experience was excellent. I was able to sort out my issue in less than a month with the help of the team at IBB Law. Right from the beginning of contacting the firm, I was provided with all the support and communication with the team was also very smooth. I am more than happy to have contacted the firm. I would definitely recommend IBB Law to anyone that is going through a similar situation as mine.”

“IBB offer unrivalled skill and expertise when it comes to education law matters. They are very well-placed to represent students in all types of public and private law claims against universities. They also do a lot of work in the school sector, in particular when representing parents in claims against independent schools. They are knowledgeable in the main areas of law that cut across these and associated areas of the education sector. Given their level of experience in these areas, they also have a very good practical understanding of the education sector and are geared towards achieving good practical outcomes for their clients.”

“The gold standard team for higher education work. IBB is one of my main instructing solicitors and I always feel completely confident that they will do an excellent job for the client. The cases are meticulously prepared, and they are very client-focused and practical in their approach.”

“Very empathetic and attentive to each individual client’s needs. I felt heard and understood for the first time by professionals. The team was easy and quick to communicate with and the whole process made me feel at ease.”

“IBB offer an excellent education law service, with particular expertise in higher education matters.’

“Celia Whittuck is a star individual. She has gained considerable experience in education law and has excellent strategic litigation strategy, particularly for civil claims against independent schools and universities, and internal complaints and appeal processes in relation to these institutions. She puts the client’s outcome at the heart of what she does and has a track record for achieving good results.”

“Growing education law team focusing on higher education law matters.”

“Celia Whittuck is a phenomenally dedicated solicitor and a real delight to work with.”

“Focused and determined education team.”

“Celia Whittuck has a growing reputation in the area.”

“Celia Whittuck has an excellent breadth of knowledge and is very responsive.”

“She is amazing.”

“Celia has taken a particular interest in ensuring that the appropriate educational outcomes are achieved. Her commitment has been unwavering.”

“Celia Whittuck has been helpful, understanding, respectful and responsive.”

“Hi Celia. To say I am so thankful and happy with this outcome is an understatement.  The best best news. Thank you again.”

The Education Law Team at IBB is ranked by Legal 500. Legal 500 describe themselves as the leading guide to law firms and solicitors across the UK.

Celia Whittuck at IBB is ranked by Chambers and Partners. Chambers and Partners say of themselves: “Our rankings are the most thoroughly researched and independent on the market. Each one is assessed by our dedicated team of experienced researchers using our unrivalled research methodology, which includes tens of thousands of one-to-one interviews every year.

“If you are buying legal services in the UK and need reliable recommendations on the best law firms and solicitors, our rankings, editorial and analysis will provide you with the information you need to make the most well-informed decision when it matters.”

Call today to discuss how we can help with racism at university

To find out more about how we can help with racial inequality at university, please contact Kinjal or Rachael, our education law legal administrators, on 01895 207 961, or by email at educationteam@ibblaw.co.uk. Kinjal and Rachael can explain how we can help you and also direct you to our online booking suite for you to book a consultation meeting on a day and time convenient to you, with one of our specialist education solicitors.