The proportion of black professors at UK universities has stalled at just 1%, new Government data shows.
Figures published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa) on Tuesday reveal that just 160 out of 22,855 professors in 2020/21 were black.
Overall in 2020/21, 11%, or 2,425 out of 22,855 professors, were from black, Asian or other minority ethnic backgrounds, while 82% were white.
Hesa figures published last year for 2019/20 also showed that just 1% of professors at UK universities were black.
Hesa said the percentage of female professors increased by one percentage point year on year from 2013/14 to 2019/20, and remained at 28% for 2020/21.
The news follows growing calls to diversify university campuses.
Last year, University and College Union (UCU) general secretary Jo Grady described the pace of change as “glacial”.
The data shows that nearly a quarter (24%) of full-time academic staff were employed on a fixed-term contract in 2020/21, while 48% of part-time academic staff were employed on fixed-term contracts.
Last week, the UCU announced that students at 68 institutions will see their lecturers walk out in disputes over “beyond disgraceful” pay, conditions and pensions.
The union has cited insecure working conditions as one of the factors involved in strikes planned for this month.
Ms Grady said: “Staff need a proper pay rise, action to tackle insecure contracts, unsafe workloads and pay inequality, and for devastating pension cuts to be revoked.”
