IOE Professor honoured at Royal Reception

16 May 2013 03:35 PM

Professor Heidi Safia Mirza, Professor Equalities Studies in Education at the IOE, joined guests from the world of business, politics, sport, entertainment, charity and the media at a reception at St James's Palace last week, hosted by Their Royal Highnesses, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, to recognise the contribution of Caribbean Communities in Britain.

Professor Mirza's invitation was in recognition of her research on the underachievement and social exclusion of ethnic minority pupils in Britain.  Her work on Black supplementary schools, migrant girls, and teacher education shows not only the commitment of Caribbean communities to education, but also the importance of having a diverse teaching force if racism is to be challenged. 

As an expert member of the Schools' Standards Task Force, Professor Mirza has shaped many initiatives to do with raising standards for Black and minority ethnic pupils, including educational resources such as the Runnymede Collection, an archive documenting the civil rights struggle for a multicultural Britain.