ENAR Foundation, based in Brussels, has been a driving force for racial equality in Europe over the last 15 years, and the SPARK communities have now become a key feature of this momentum.

Conceived precisely to encourage small, organic groupings of professionals, the SPARK communities have now developed into 3 separate but connected entities: SPARK DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), SPARK Teachers, both launched in the past 12 months, and now the new SPARK Academia for racialised academics across Europe.

This could not come at a better time. There are a range of well researched, multiple obstacles that can make professional academia a minefield of race related inequalities, across many other dimensions of discrimination.

Representation of racialised academics in senior positions is woefully limited, and this has an impact on students and the nature of learning. Added to this is the everyday lived experience of minorities experiencing a range of racialisations.

The SPARK Academia community will create an opportunity to come together, share, network and build new possibilities for a more equality and equity based academia for all. It will be a space to grow and create solidarity across borders.

As we prepare to officially launch SPARK Academia, we already have members from 6 European countries working in a range of disciplines and levels and we look forward to further people joining!

More information and a sign up form is available at SPARK Academia (enarfoundation.eu)   Please help spread the word to the relevant people!