Introduction

This chapter focuses on all postgraduate students and the issues of racism faced by these students in their university journey. Postgraduate (PG) students who are engaged in taught and research programmes experience their education uniquely compared with the undergraduate student. Broadhead et al (2020) explored Black, Asian and minority ethnic students’ experiences of postgraduate degrees, highlighting critical concern about the widening gap in degree continuation rates ‘where only 83% of BAME students continued their studies compared with 90% of White students’ (p 2). Furthermore, Black, Asian and minority ethnic postgraduate students were found to feel less engaged with the curriculum due to its Eurocentricity, isolated and lacking in confidence to discuss race issues with White staff (Broadhead et al, 2020).

Although racism is pervasive in the postgraduate student experience, it is noted that postgraduate students will typically have more opportunities, be exposed to more placements and opportunities to practise skills and may often have closer contact with academic and professional leads than at undergraduate level (Donaldson & McNicholas, 2004). However, racism in the postgraduate experience is often surrounded by White supremacy in the university environment and space (Ahmet, 2020), with international students experiencing direct racist abuse leading to ‘sadness, disappointment, homesickness and anger’ (Brown & Jones, 2011, p 1). I also highlight the role of doctoral students who identify as Black, Asian and minority ethnic and experience racism that can often adversely impact their retention and success during their doctorates (for example, Avery-Desmarais et al, 2021). For example, data shows that ‘245 (1.2%) [doctorates] were awarded to Black or Black Mixed students, with just 30 of those being from Black Caribbean backgrounds’ (Leading Routes, 2019, p 3). It is highlighted in evidence that a lack of diverse and authentic representation is a barrier to engaging Black, Asian and minority ethnic doctoral candidates, where ‘the racial microaggressions is carefully articulated through subtle persistent daily reoccurrences which attempt to position faculty of colour as incapable or inferior to their White counterparts’ (Arday, 2021, p 975).

Voices from literature