The prestigious annual event recognised individuals and organisations who provide opportunities for people from ethnic minority backgrounds, and who demonstrate positive change.
Professor Mark Simpson, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) and Executive Champion (Ethnic and Cultural Diversity), opened the awards and explained how we have embedded equality and inclusivity into our colleague values and behaviours framework.
Sajid Abdullah, Principal Lecturer (Programmes - Engineering), from the School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies won the Tees Valley BME Education Award for individual excellence in education.
In addition, the Tees Valley Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Network of which our University is an active member, was a runner up for the Public Sector Award category.
The University also sponsored the BME Business of the Year Award and Juliet Amos, Executive HR Director, presented the trophy to the winner, Moonrise 24hr Recruitment Limited.
A further event is planned for February when businesses from the local ethnic minority communities will have an opportunity to work with relevant colleagues to identify what support the University can offer them.