Dr Antony Williams

Dr Antony Williams plays a key role in the University’s Race Equality Charter work, leading the Learning and Teaching working group and as a member of the Self Assessment Team.

The Learning and Teaching working group focuses on understanding course content/syllabus, teaching and assessment methods and academic confidence.

The Self Assessment Team includes staff involved in the Race Equality Charter bronze award application and other key representatives from across the University, including academic, research and support staff and representatives from minority ethnic networks. It contributes to discussions around the representation, progression and success of minority ethnic staff and students, supports the implementation of the comprehensive action plan and contributes to high-level decision-making about the application

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'I joined the University and the School of Education in 2010 and it was around 2016 when I became involved in a piece of work looking at the experiences of black students within the Faculty of Social Sciences. This work culminated in a report outlining recommendations for the Faculty, and some of these were also picked up at a University level. 

'This led to me being involved in the creation of the Staff Race Equality Network (formally the BAME Network) and throughout this period, there was a real sense of a common purpose that focussed on improving and strengthening the voice of black and ethnic minority staff. Around this time, the University was looking to develop its Race Equality Action Plan so the staff network was able to contribute and have a voice in that.

'In 2021, a bid was submitted for funding to establish the Centre for Equity and Inclusion and we were successful in that bid. The Centre is a research hub that works to enhance the university experience for postgraduate researchers (PGRs) of colour.'

What does race equality mean to you? 

'When we talk about race equality, the focus is often on the removal of barriers, more specifically the removal of barriers that people of colour may face which may mean they don’t realise or achieve their full potential. Removing those barriers can mean that those individuals are better positioned to create networks, develop a sense of belonging or have more confidence when in certain situations that open up opportunities. 

'When I reflect on the term race equality and explore the different ideas that are attached to race and what race is, it’s clear that it is personal to each of us. Race is more than the colour of your skin, it draws on culture, people’s upbringing and heritage and their social circles. The term race equality is trying to encapsulate all those ideas and experiences we each draw upon to navigate the world. 

'Human nature is complex, and there will always be challenges in bringing people together. I do believe that education is one way to begin removing barriers and challenging ideas. Universities create an environment where people can come together from all backgrounds and locations and learn from one another, counter their assumptions and prejudices often, but not always implicit and expand their understanding of the world. Universities encourage that much-needed curiosity that often precedes change. 

'To create that environment, universities themselves need to continuously reflect on their own culture and make improvements where necessary - this is where the Race Equality Charter is important.’ 

What impact/changes would you like to see if we are awarded the Charter? What does this mean for our University community? 

'Joining the Race Equality Charter and applying for the Bronze Award is an important sign to colleagues and our students, to other institutions and the wider community that race equality is important to the University and also acknowledges that it is something we know we need to work on. 

'The findings that have emerged from the Charter submission and the Charter mark are enablers for that change. Change is dependent on people, and so the mark enables people to carve out time to focus on actions that will improve the staff and student experience, it prompts investment in the areas that will further equality, and it allows for targets to be set.  The outcomes of this should be a change in the culture, innovation in curriculums and more opportunities for people of colour to be successful and overcome barriers. 

'I see the Charter as being a flag as to the direction of travel that the University of Sheffield intends to take over the coming years.' 

Has the Race Equality Charter work prompted any conversations or changes within your department/faculty or between colleagues?

'The Faculty report was a conversation piece. People could read it and consider the findings and recommendations in relation to their own work and how they could change or innovate within their own areas. I know of people in different departments and programmes who have picked up this report and done just that. 

'When working within learning and teaching roles, you’re always looking at different programmes to identify best practice and employ them within your own area and the Faculty report allowed for that to happen.

'The University is a huge institution, it can be difficult to know what is going on as for many of us there are areas and programmes that we just don’t know about. What the Race Equality Charter work does is to provide a centralised place to come together and enable those conversations to take place. It's not about directing or telling people what to do, but rather showing what is happening and the value of it and encouraging and enabling people to implement it within their area of focus.’ 

How do you think others across the University contribute to eradicating racial inequalities here?

'There is an opportunity as part of this work to consider what excellence means in relation to equality. When our students leave the University as Sheffield graduates, what values do we want them to carry with them? Instilling that within our teaching and learning is essential to wider-scale change as it will complement other work taking place. 

'A lot of this work starts with leadership and having a vision for equality that sets a direction of travel. Change is a slow process but coming together as a community and committing to small-scale changes within our own areas will push us forward in the direction of travel we want to go in.' 

Is there anything else you would like to share or reflect on? 

'Reflecting on my words so far, I don't see equality as a given and to a degree inequalities, which reflect individual differences are to be expected. What should be a concern are systemic/structural inequalities. To tackle these inequalities, equality work always has to remain on the agenda for change to happen, rather than slipping out of focus.

'Recognising the unequal impact of systemic processes and practices is key. How these processes have a mutually reinforcing relationship with personal prejudice and implicit assumptions of people of colour, and importantly, how these processes and practices can be improved to promote equality. This work is not something we should take our eyes off, it has to remain at the heart of everything we do.’