St Andrews University' boss apologises for 'decades of racial injustice'

The boss of Scotland’s top university has apologised for failing its BAME students during "decades" of racial injustice.

Principal of the University of St Andrews, Professor Sally Mapstone, said the institution has been “poorer” for the failures.

In a message to staff and students she set out a set of actions St Andrews is now taking to improve BAME representation.

She also called on everyone linked to the university to be “active participants in driving change.”

Principal and Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Sally Mapstone, wrote the apology (PA)

She wrote: “We know that for decades, St Andrews hasn’t got this right, that we’ve let down our BAME students and staff, and that our university has been, and continues to be, so much the poorer for it.

“On behalf of this institution, I apologise for that.

“Acknowledging that injustice, understanding what we are and have been doing to right it, and where we must all play a part in enabling structural change, is an absolutely fundamental step in our reform.”

The apology comes a week after the Fife university was voted the best in Scotland.

It was beaten into third place in the UK league table by Oxford and Cambridge.

The university was recently voted the best in Scotland and third best in the UK. (PA)

To support the change, St Andrews has published Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Progress reports generated over the last year.

The University’s Race, Ethnicity, Religion and Belief Equality Group is also working to identify and address issues which disadvantage BAME people at the University.

Professor Mapstone added: “Every one of the initiatives underway at St Andrews exists because we want to make a real difference to people’s lives.

“These actions are only a start, but I hope they provide a sense of depth and momentum, and the centrality of diversity to what St Andrews, under my leadership, aspires to be.”

While Student President, Jamie Rodney, said: “I echo the Principal’s apology – the Students’ Association, just like the University, has fallen short of doing everything it could do for BAME, and particularly Black students.

“We’ll be doing everything we can to support the University’s actions, and uplift the voices of our Black students.”