University leaders have joined up with those at the start of their careers to support female professional development.
A conference, organised by the Black Female Academics’ Network (BFAN), was held at the University during a week-long celebration of Africa Week.
Africa Week is a recognition of the strength, diversity and impact of African scholars, organisations and partnerships.
This year’s conference theme, “My Next Steps in Higher Education”, equipped participants with the tools, insights, and networks necessary to progress their careers in higher education.
For me BFAN has opened up my mind to seeing that there is more that I can explore.
Professor Lisa-Dionne Morris, CEO of BFAN and Professor of Public and Industry Understanding of Capability Driven Design in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Leeds, said: “Fostering a diverse and inclusive academic community across all levels that enriches our institutions is something that we at Leeds are leading the way on.
“The future of the BFAN network is bright, our members are the driving force for future leadership in higher education, whether that be through academic pathways or professional services careers.”
During the day’s activities, speakers shared their personal journeys, career advice and discussed how to leave behind a legacy.
Dr Jummy Okoya, Dean of the Office of Institutional Equity at the University of East London, spoke about the importance of a community of strength. Dr Okoya said lives and careers go through seasons and managing your energy, not your time, is the key to flourishing.
Impact
Kayaga Matovu, a third year PhD researcher at Leeds University Business School studying job quality in small and medium sized enterprises in sub-Saharan Africa, is a member of BFAN.
She said: “For me, BFAN has opened up my mind to seeing that there is more that I can explore. There is also more that I can achieve and accomplishing this does not have to be a lonely, hard job. There is this whole entire community that has been created and made very accessible.
“The ladies in the room they are so advanced, they are so pleasant and so grounded. They are inviting and creating space which I have never found anywhere.
“When I started my PhD journey, I had a lot of ‘why am I here’ questions for the first two years and then I joined the BFAN environment. This entire community of people are saying ‘you are in the right place. You just didn’t have a tribe and now you do’.”
Inspire
Academics and professional service staff spoke about barriers to success and how to overcome them.
Professor Dawn Edge, Professor for Mental Health and Inclusivity at the University of Manchester, called on delegates to leave a legacy behind though individual uniqueness.
Professor Edge said: “It was a wonderful event that modelled inclusivity! I particularly valued the meaningful inclusion of Professional Services, Post Graduate Research students, and Early Career Researchers.
“My ambition is to work with others to ensure BFAN’s sustainability and spread beyond the UK. In the words of John C. Maxwell: ‘Success is what you achieve; legacy is what you leave behind’.”
Professor Lisa-Dionne Morris and Professor Dawn Edge.
Professor Arinola Adefila, Professor of Social Policy and EDI at Buckinghamshire New University, added: “Developing and sustaining collaboration is vital to enhancing the skill, artistry, and mastery for expansive academic practice – the next steps into ‘wepower’.”
Professor Adefila’s keynote speech focused on the importance of changing from counting people to building a culture - the need to stick together more and support each other.
Cultural Programme
Professor Shearer West, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Leeds gave an opening address to the BFAN networking event.
Professor West said: “The Black Female Academics’ Network fully embodies the University’s strategic values of collaboration, compassion, inclusivity and integrity.
“The network’s shared commitment to ensuring that all in UK Higher Education have access to pathways of leadership and influence, are aspirations I wholeheartedly support, and they align with our University’s ambitions around inclusion and systemic change.”
The Africa Week programme is a week-long celebration, with a variety of cultural and networking events. From a Wikipedia Edit-a-thon to the launch of Ibadan 1960, a student-led digital exhibition telling the story of an art and literature movement from 1960s Nigeria to present-day Leeds.
Africa Week also marks a year since the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Abigail Marshall Katung took office. A new film, launched at the start of this year’s Africa Week features the Lord Mayor, who is an alum of the University, honouring other notable alumni to celebrate the rich heritage Leeds has with Africa.
The Lord Mayor of Leeds said: “I am proud to be one of many influential black alumni of the University of Leeds. The contributions of black alumni in Leeds has been phenomenal and I am very proud of my University and the city of Leeds for the opportunity they gave me to thrive, serve and succeed.”
Further information
Africa Day commemorates the anniversary of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (now African Union) on 25th May 1963.
For more information about the 2025 programme of events, please see the University of Leeds Africa Week website for more details.
For more information, please contact Rebecca Hurrey at r.hurrey@leeds.ac.uk in the University of Leeds Press Office.