University’s are being asked to reassess the appearance of the buildings on their campuses, in case they are stifling their ability to attract students from diverse backgrounds. Higher education consultancy Halpin has recommended that universities “reconsider the ‘look and feel’ of their buildings” as there are “many ways” in which a university’s “built environment… hinders inclusivity.”
“Buildings can be perceived as white or colonial spaces, which can hinder diverse recruitment”, Halpin says.
The group, which has worked with 65 UK higher education insitutitons including, University College at Oxford, Warwick University, Nottingham University and King’s College London, claims that universities are beginning the to consider the “impact” of the architecture of their estates “on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)”.
Halpin went on to say that “perhaps now is the time” for higher education in the UK to place “greater focus” on the “intersection of EDI and estates strategies” to “ensure the sustainability of diverse recruitment.”
