Power, Pride, and Possibility: Honouring Black Heritage students at UCL

This year’s Black History Month theme, Standing Firm in Power and Pride, celebrates the strength and spirit of Black communities across the globe and here throughout Britain.

From the Student Success Office, we want to take this moment to acknowledge and celebrate Black@UCL, UCLs emerging flagship programme for UK domiciled, undergraduate students of Black heritage.

Delivered in line with the principles of UCLs Access and Participation Plan, Black@UCL is a three-year pilot programme designed to strengthen the sense of belonging among UK Black undergraduate students.

Research across the sector has shown for some time that UK Black heritage students are not only having a markedly different experience of Higher Education than their White counterparts, but that these experiences are having a significant impact on their final awards and employment opportunities.

Black@UCL was developed to help address these disparities - but more than levelling any playing field, our true aspiration has been to create experiences of connection and to enable Black students to claim their space here at UCL.

The programme that Black@UCL delivers offers numerous opportunities for students to connect; with services such as UCL Careers, Study Abroad and the Innovation Hub, with internships, placements and volunteering opportunities, and with one another through social activity.

As we head towards UCL200, it is important to acknowledge the impact and influence of Black staff and students whose contributions continue to transform the university, enrich national life, and influence the world. This legacy invites us not only to reflect on past struggles and achievement, but also to embrace our responsibility to look ahead.

Senior Student Success Officer and Black@UCL Creator / Programme Lead, Darsh Hawtin:

“In a time when the broader political and social landscape can feel overwhelming, when race equity is increasingly under threat, we are called to stand firm in our commitment to justice and inclusion. It’s easy to feel powerless, but meaningful change doesn’t always begin on a global stage; it starts within our communities. Supporting and uplifting the next generation of Black scholars, leaders, and changemakers is not just an aspiration; it is a duty.

By placing students at the heart of its design and direction, Black@UCL is committed to the principles of co-creation and co-production to ensure that their voices shape its development. Through critical engagement with decolonial practices, by increasing representation in decision-making spaces, facilitating open dialogue around race and identity, and creating tailored opportunities for Black heritage students, Black@UCL seeks to challenge and transform the dominant norms that have historically marginalised Black students, laying the groundwork for a more equitable academic future.

While the full impact of Black@UCL continues to unfold, the enthusiasm, engagement, and heartfelt feedback from students already speak volumes. With just over 300 members, the programme now represents more than half of UK undergraduate students of Black heritage in the 2024/25 cohort.

As we progress into this academic year, we are reminded of the impact that this programme has made to our Black heritage students:

“

Being Black means that the world often sees me a certain way before I’ve even said a word. I don’t control that part - it’s projected onto me. But there’s another side to my Blackness, the part I’ve built myself. The part shaped by friendships, family, and culture. That side is personal, intentional, and fully mine. 

Black@UCL makes space for that version of Black identity. It also challenges something deeper, too. It says: yes, Black students get here through talent and hard work, but that doesn’t mean the journey was equal or easy.

This programme recognises the pressure to prove yourself, the expectation to overachieve, and the quiet moments of discomfort that come with navigating elite, often white, spaces. Black@UCL offers a support system that helps students feel less alone, more prepared, and more confident in the Black identity that’s lived, felt, and built, not just seen.

To hear more from our students please watch their testimonial video here.

Their reflections have been a powerful reminder of why Black@UCL exists, not simply as a programme, but as a vibrant, evolving community where students feel seen, heard, and empowered. The confidence with which they speak, the clarity of their aspirations, and the generosity they are showing toward their peers is revealing something profound: that a deep sense of belonging has taken root and is now bearing fruit.

As we look ahead, these moments reaffirm our commitment to nurturing spaces where Black students can thrive, not in spite of the institution, but because they are actively shaping it. Their journeys inspire us to keep building, keep listening, and keep creating the conditions where every student can flourish.

The UCL Student Success Office warmly invite staff who are passionate about equity and innovation to connect with Black@UCL. If you have ideas, projects, or practices that could inspire, empower, or create meaningful opportunities for our Black@UCL members, we’d love to hear from you. To find out more please visit our webpage here.

This is a chance to become an enthusiastic disruptor, someone who challenges racial inequity not just in theory, but through action.

Let’s build together. Let’s lead change from within.