Introduction

In searching for research regarding racist pedagogy in HE, literature continuously deferred to the term antiracist1 pedagogy. Within relevant papers, racist pedagogy may have an introductory discussion, for example, regarding discriminatory, exclusory or Eurocentric curriculum and consequences see Wagner, 2005; Montgomery, 2013). A rapid scoping evaluation of research literature was carried out into the subject of whether pedagogy/ies in HE is/are perpetuating and/or supporting racism in the curriculum. This was extrapolated from literature related to antiracist pedagogy of curriculum design. EBSCO (Elton Brysons Stephens & Co), an online platform for research databases such as Academic Complete, ERIC (Education Resources Information Centre) and Education Research Complete, were searched for relevant research.

There are key learning needs, education and training of students within the curriculum and staff on culture as an institutional approach, specifically, exploring culture as a tool for learning and to adjust to cultures (Jabbar & Mirza, 2019), cultural awareness (Singh, 2019), culture as a core topic as a levelling technique, promoting equity by both explaining and solving problems (Jeyasingham & Morton, 2019) and staff understanding cultural norms and diversity. Included in these is immersion into issues of power and privilege, through the lens of social justice (Hill et al, 2018).

Disparate learning needs of Black, Asian and Minoritised Ethnic and White students being different regarding racism need to be appreciated and built into the curriculum (Jeyasingham & Morton, 2019; Singh, 2019), and reflected in literature resources and reading lists for courses as there is a tendency for them to be Eurocentric and White male-dominated, as in sciences (Crilly, Panesar & Suka-Bill, 2020; Schucan Bird & Pitman, 2020). Additionally, student feedback says that Black, Asian and Minoritised Ethnic and White students receive and perceive training about race and racism differently (Singh, 2019).

Solutions for change as part of an institutional approach include collaboration between staff and students to co-design and apply antiracist pedagogy to transform the curriculum , for example, diversifying the reading lists (Crilly, Panesar & Suka-Bill, 2020; Schucan Bird & Pitman, 2020); internationalising the curriculum content (Jeyasingham & Morton, 2019); applying a strength-based frame for curriculum that values diversity; and staff to reflect and review how teaching practices construct race, Whiteness [or ‘Eurocentricness’] and oppression, to improve the awarding gap (Jabbar & Mirza, 2019; Jeyasingham & Morton, 2019).