Gypsies, Travellers, Roma, Showmen and Boaters into Higher Education Pledge

At ARU it doesn’t matter where you come from, or what background you have, it’s about where you’re going and what you want to achieve.

Our mission, of transforming lives through innovative, inclusive, and entrepreneurial education and research couldn’t be achieved without our staff and students. They make us who we are.

We welcome students from all over the world, from different races, cultures and backgrounds and we’re proud of our diversity. We understand that our staff and students need a welcoming, inclusive community to thrive and to show our commitment to inclusivity, we are proud to have signed the Gypsies, Travellers, Roma, Showmen and Boaters (GTRSB) into Higher Education Pledge.

There are very few GTRSB university students and graduates within the UK, and according to analysis by Greenfields, 2019; Mulcahy et al 2017, there is an estimated average of less than 500 members of these communities in higher education at any one time. This pledge will help us to ensure that members of these communities feel welcome, included, and supported at ARU. We are committed to making sure that both students and staff can feel confident identifying as a GTRSB community member and know they will receive the support needed to become a successful graduate or be able to access the tools and resources needed to progress their career at ARU.

As part of the pledge, we have set up a point of contact for our GTRSB staff and student members to talk to about their experiences to help us better understand the challenges these minority groups face in Higher Education, so that we can learn how to remove or reduce them. We would encourage any prospective student interested in studying at ARU to also contact [email protected] to discuss what support is on offer within the ARU community.

We pledge to:

• celebrate GTRSB success stories of students, staff and alumni who continue to inspire us with their achievements and positive contributions made in communities all over the world
• empower individuals to self-identify as GTRSB members to ensure their needs are met to enable them to join higher education and go on to achieve their ambitions
• listen and learn from both our current students and staff and potential students who identify as GTRSB to learn from their experiences and the challenges they face so that we can facilitate positive change within our community.

Our students are remarkable and at the heart of what we do. We’re committed to building an inclusive environment where students feel as though they belong, where they can be themselves and feel proud of who they are and what they achieve.