Amplifying the mental health of Black university students: A Black, mad and disability studies intersectional inquiry

The poor mental health of university students constitutes a contemporary global crisis. Black students’ mental health is particularly at risk due to institutional processes of anti-black racism, ableism and sanism; discrimination often not addressed by theory, policy and practice. This project addresses this truly intersectional problem. It draws on Black, mad and disability studies to explore and enhance the mental health of Black students in four English universities, working with Black students, academics, and professional service colleagues. 

Principal investigator: Dr Manny Madriaga
Funder: Economic and Social Research Council
Further information: Project website

A family affair? Intergenerational economies of student debt and social mobility

Over the last decade, key policy changes to higher education funding, including the trebling of tuition fees in 2012, have increasingly transferred the costs of university within England from the state to individual students, and their families. There is limited research exploring how this increased indebtedness affects everyday life and conceptualisations of the future amongst graduates after they leave university, or its implications for future social mobility. Funded by the Leverhulme Trust, this intergenerational study will explore how indebtedness, linked to the 2012 tuition fee rise, is experienced both individually by graduates and collectively by their wider families by exploring your lived experiences, thoughts, and attitudes towards student debt.

Principal investigator: Dr Farhana Ghaffar
Funder: The Leverhulme Trust

Amplifying the mental health of black university students: A black, mad and disability studies intersectional inquiry 

The poor mental health of university students constitutes a contemporary global crisis. Black students’ mental health is particularly at risk due to institutional processes of anti-black racism, ableism and sanism; discrimination often not addressed by theory, policy and practice. This project addresses this truly intersectional problem. We draw on black, mad and disability studies to explore and enhance the mental health of black students in four English universities. We will work with black students, academics, and professional service colleagues. First, we will identify responsive theories, concepts, and resources through intersectional conversations between and across black, mad and disability studies. Second, we will explore black students’ experiences and aspirations of mental health support across four universities in England. Third, we will develop innovative methodologies that provide opportunities for black students, universities, and non-academic organisations to collate and share enabling practice. Fourth, we will identify examples of enabling practice currently existing in the university that can be shared across institutions. Finally, we will raise public debate about the mental health experiences and aspirations of black university students. Our work will inform the university, research, and third sectors to promote black, mad and disabled lives in the academy. Project partners for this endeavour also includes Student Minds and Healing Justice London

Co-investigator: Dr Manny Madriaga 
Funder: ESRC Large Grant

Driving local and trans/national policy change in refugee education: reducing inequality through sustainable quality education for forcibly displaced people

Unprecedented levels of global migration necessitate supporting educational policymakers to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for refugee learners. This project engages policy-influencers and policymakers leveraging McIntyre’s research in refugee education to advance knowledge, deepen relationships between policy and academic expertise, and foster sustainable inclusive educational policies.

Drawing on the HERE project, international policy networking events, will be held in collaboration with Brussels-based SIRIUS European Policy Network on Migrant Education.  Nationally, McIntyre’s collaborations with Refugee Education UK (REUK) - ASPIRE and STRIVE, will advance policy narratives and ensure elements of SDG4 are met for refugee learners. Locally, McIntyre’s research findings will underpin a roundtable event in Nottingham, supported by Nicholas Lee, Director of Education at Nottingham City Council. 

Principal investigator: Professor Joanna McIntyre
Funder: Research England's Quality-Related Research Policy Support Funding and Participatory Funding

Increasing access and participation for black, Asian and minority ethnic groups in postgraduate research study (YCEDE)

Office for Students, Research England and Yorkshire Consortium for Equity in Doctoral Education (YCEDE) partners (University of Leeds, University of York, University of Sheffield, University of Bradford, and Sheffield Hallam University) have committed to invest more than £4 million over four years to improve access and participation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic people in postgraduate research study across Yorkshire. The project consists of four workstreams. The University of Nottingham is collaborating with Sheffield Hallam University in carrying out a rigorous evaluation of the YCEDE Programme and provide an evidence base to share widely across the HE sector and beyond.

Principal investigator: Dr Manny Madriaga
Funder: Sheffield Hallam University
Further information: Project website and project blog