Electronic Precinct - Nov 1997

Race and community relations awards

The Diploma has been designed specifically for professional Racial Equality Officers, as their national qualification. It is the only one of its kind in the country, and people attend the course, held in the Halls of Residence and also by distance learning methods, from all over Great Britain.

This year, which is the European Year Against Racism, brings to an end this phase of the University's work with the Commission for Racial Equality, which is now changing its training provision. The University has worked with the Commission for the last eleven years as its main training provider, un der the leadership of Gideon Ben-Tovim, Director of the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work Studies, Race and Social Policy Unit.

'It is a privilege' he said, 'to have had such a long, unbroken relationship with the Commission for Racial Equality. We have, by now, trained most of Britain's Race Equality Officers in a unique course, combining academic knowledge and professional skills. We hope to continue our partnership with the Commission in other ways in the future, using our academic expertise and resources to help support the Commission's goal of equality of opportunity for all'.

At the ceremony, attended by the successful Race Equality Officers and their families and friends were, the Vice-Chancellor, the Dean of the Faculty of Social, Environmental and Educational Studies, Professor Peter Batey; Professor Chris Jones, Head of the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work Studies; and Gideon Ben-Tovim and other staff involved in delivering the course.