Welcome to the That's Me!

At the heart of our mission, the That's Me! project is dedicated to dismantling the multifaceted barriers that hinder Global Majority students from accessing Postgraduate Research (PGR) opportunities in the West Midlands. Proudly funded by the Office for Students and Research England under the "Improving Access to and Participation in Postgraduate Research Study (PGR) for Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic Students" funding stream, our focus is on three pivotal, professional, and practice-based disciplines: Allied Health Professions, Education, and Business and Law. These areas are essential across numerous sectors and, as of the 2019/20 HESA data, encompass 20% of all PGR students, with less than a quarter from the Global Majority community. Our goal? To spearhead impactful change and increase access in these critical fields.

Our Objectives:

1. Cultural and Processual Transformation: We aim to foster a welcoming and inclusive university culture at UoW and BCU, thereby building a strong pipeline of Global Majority PGR students through significant cultural and procedural reforms.
2. Community and Career Development: In collaboration with Global Majority students, communities, employers, and regional government bodies, we're crafting and implementing targeted strategies to enhance research career opportunities for Global Majority PGRs.
3. Educational Resources: By providing open-access educational resources, we address the glaring gaps in sectors where a research degree is crucial, enhancing the academic and professional landscape.
4. Evaluative Strategies: Our commitment to success includes implementing a rigorous ongoing evaluation strategy, underpinned by solid methodology and ambitious KPIs, ensuring our interventions are impactful.
5. Inclusive Access Pathways: We're dedicated to creating sustainable access for historically marginalised learners, employing co-created, innovative methods with potential for wide application across the HEI sector.

Tailored Interventions:

Understanding that our students come from diverse backgrounds and stages in their academic journeys, we tailor our interventions to suit undergraduates, postgraduate taught students, and Global Majority professionals eager to embark on PGR studies.

Our Consortium:

Recognising the need for systemic change, we've united a powerful regional consortium of 14 employers, policy-makers, and networks committed to fostering diversity, supporting our students, and co-creating a brighter future.

Our Work Streams:

Our approach is two-pronged: inwardly focusing on changing Higher Education Institutional cultures and processes, and outwardly aiming to effect regional change through Open Educational Resources (OER), employer policies, and workforce development strategies. Communication, sustainability, and transferability are our guiding principles, ensuring that every facet of our project is impactful and enduring.

Communities of Practice and Allies Hub:

Central to our mission is the creation of new Communities of Practice and an Allies Hub, designed by and for Global Majority communities. These platforms serve as a beacon of support, learning, and advocacy, furthering our cause.