From inertia to contagion towards immunity: keeping ‘race’ on the UK university agenda post-COVID-19

At a time when health and health states have rightfully taken priority over all else, the Health Beliefs Model (Rosenstock, I. M., 1966) provides a particularly useful lens to identify a UK university’s psychological readiness and intentions to act and redress the persistence and toxicity of ‘race’[1] inequality in higher education. ‘Race’ inequality is a matter of public health!

The COVID-19 pandemic has mutated a new strain of inequality in UK universities, further contaminating its waters. This will promote a double disadvantage, disproportionately affecting previously marginalised and disadvantaged groups. Students and staff from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds will be affected in myriad ways because they are “shewing that they had drank of it”.