Revealed: These are the unis with the most reports of student racism in five years

This country’s universities have a problem with racism. It’s so bad that statistics show one in 20 students drop out because of it.

The Vice Chancellor of UEA has even gone as far as admitting universities are institutionally racist.

But just how widespread is the problem? The BBC obtained data on number of reports of student racism from 2015 to 2019, showing that hundreds of incidents of racism have been reported to universities over a five year period.

These are the unis with the most reports of student racism in that time period:

1. University of Essex: 33
2. Nottingham Trent University*: 23
3. University of Chester: 23
4. University of Bedfordshire: 19
5. University of Warwick: 18
6. Edge Hill University: 17
7. University of Strathclyde: 17
8. Cardiff University: 16
9. Kings College London: 15
10. University of Glasgow: 14
11. University of Edinburgh: 13
12. University of Manchester: 13
13. Liverpool John Moores: 12
14. University of Roehampton*: 11
15. Swansea University: 11
16. Kingston University: 10
17. University of East Anglia: 10
18. Coventry University: 9
19. University of Leicester: 9
20. University St Andrews: 9
21. University of Surrey*: 7
22. University of Stirling: 7
23. Edinburgh Napier University: 5
24. Imperial College London: 5
25. London School of Economics: 5
26. University of East London: 5
27. University of Sussex*: 4
28. Glyndwr University: 4
29. University of Westminster: 4
30. Brunel University: 3
31. De Montfort University: 3
32. University of Wolverhampton: 3
33. Bucks New University: 2
34. Harper Adams University: 2
35. Queen’s University Belfast: 2
36. University of Winchester: 2
37. Bangor University: 1
38. Bath Spa University: 1
39. Teeside University: 1
40. University of Worcester: 1

(A * indicates a university did not provide full data for the full five years, meaning the true number could be higher)

The BBC obtained the statistics for part of a new documentary, Is Uni Racist?, which investigates whether unis fail to deal with complaints of racism.

A number of universities did not respond, or did not provide specific statistics.

Yet the numbers do not show the true extent of racism happening on campuses.

A survey by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission found that a quarter of students have experienced racial harassment, but two thirds of those did not report the incident to their university.

“Universities don’t have a full picture of the issue,” Alastair Pringle, the executive director of the EHRC, told the BBC.

BBC Three’s Is Uni Racist? is available now to watch on iPlayer and will also air tonight at 10.45pm on BBC One.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• The UK’s unis are institutionally racist, admits uni Vice-Chancellor

• Exclusive: Universities are still using meagre fines to punish racist students

• ‘White counsellors don’t understand’: Why BME students don’t get the help they need at uni