100 Black Women Professors NOW
This sector leading, systemic change programme works to address the absence of Black women in the academic pipeline.
UWE Bristol has committed to support a first cohort of 22 people on the 100 Black Women Professors NOW programme in 2024: six Black women academics, their line managers and relevant institutional leads.
The programme is run by the Women’s Higher Education Network (WHEN), a social enterprise dedicated to equity of opportunity for women in higher education.
This unique, 12-month programme aims to increase the number of Black women at every stage of the academic pipeline and to accelerate their career progression. Read the WHEN impact report (PDF).
UWE Bristol is aiming to support a second cohort in 2026. The focus for 2025 will be on addressing systemic barriers identified within the first year of the programme and embedding changes within the University through our anti-racism strategy.
Developing our anti-racism strategy
UWE Bristol is currently developing its anti-racism strategy using the insights from the Staff Journey Report (login required). The strategy brings together data, research and lived experiences of Black, Asian and racially minoritised staff into one analysis, enabling us to take a systematic approach to respond to the issues identified.
This document is intended to help prioritise where resources and efforts should be focused and to support next steps in the development of an anti-racist strategy for the University.
One of the main priorities highlighted in the report is progression. 100 Black Women Professors NOW is part of a series of interventions UWE Bristol is implementing to address the gaps and priorities we've identified and to support with realising the University’s anti-racism strategy.
Read What happens after you've called your university institutionally racist?
Apply to the programme
Applications for the WHEN 100 Black Women Professors NOW programme will reopen in autumn 2025.
Supporting Black women in academia
The programme is about supporting Black academic women to navigate and manage their careers by providing equity of opportunity and removing the systemic barriers that prevent them from thriving and progressing in academia. Participants receive career coaching, sponsorship, mentoring, take active part in community building and much more.
It is also about challenging institutional bias, improving understanding, increasing awareness and engagement and implement positive actions that result in a long-term cultural and systemic change.
Cohort 2024
Faatihah Niyi-Odumosu
A trailblazer in health promotion, Faatihah describes her career as being shaped by the support of mentors, sponsors and colleagues.
Ifeoma Dan-Ogosi
Senior Lecturer in Public Health at UWE Bristol, Ifeoma talks about her academic career journey and the challenges she has experienced.
Ronke Eyitayo
Senior Lecturer Ronke explains how the 100BWPN programme boosted her confidence to lead and deliver academic work with impact.
Tinkuma Edafioghor
Senior Lecturer Tinkuma explains how the support and investment of senior colleagues has been a key factor in developing a career she dreamed of pursuing as a child.
Ann de Graft-Johnson
With a career spanning 40 years, Ann was motivated to apply to 100BWPN programme to increase her influence in promoting a genuinely inclusive ethos.
Programme structure and leads
The Inclusive University blog
The Black Women in Academia Safe Space Initiative
Dr Ifeoma Elizabeth Dan-Ogosi and Dr Tinkuma Ejovi Edafioghor write about a new initiative designed to empower and uplift Black female academics.
The power of community and rediscovering my career path
Dr Tinkuma Edafioghor, Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management, reflects on the support 100BWPN has given her while navigating the world of academia.
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