March 31, 2025, by bbztlg

Black PhD Collective: the first nationwide network for Black PhD students of any discipline

Meléa Sinclair is a BBSRC-funded PhD researcher in the School of Life Sciences. She shares her experiences of stepping into the unknown.

If you had told me at 20 that I’d be doing a PhD, I wouldn’t have believed you, mostly because I didn’t actually know what a PhD was. That is the reality for a lot of individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, we are treading paths our parents and other family members never have.

Combine that with a lack of representation and community, and it is no surprise that only 1.8% of postgraduate research students in the UK identify as Black (according to the UK Higher Education Statistics Agency). That figure does not even reflect the full picture. Only 3.5% of Black doctoral students complete their PhDs within three and a half years, compared to 9.7% of white students (UKRI, 2023). That disparity has nothing to do with ability and all to do with lack of support, resources and the feeling of not belonging. This extends beyond the PhD researcher phase, where in 2023 we saw a 25% increase in Black professors in the UK, but this is still only 1% (HESA, 2024). Of the 210 Black Professors in the UK, only 61 are women.

I started the Black PhD Collective (BPC) as a space for Black PhD researchers to show up authentically, to bring their full selves, their cultures, and their norms into academic spaces without feeling the need to code switch. It is a community that understands our shared experiences: systemic, personal and cultural. Even if someone is the only Black student in their department, this network is a way of saying, “you are not alone”.

This is the first nationwide network for Black PhD students across all universities and disciplines.

Our Nottingham-based launch sold out in just two weeks, starting from scratch with an Instagram and LinkedIn page that had no followers. That response alone speaks volumes about how urgently this space is needed. We have students coming from across the country, including as far as London and Cardiff. We doubled capacity and are now heading towards our second sell-out for this event.

We are only getting started.

BPC is not just a social movement. We are developing a series of professional workshops shaped by what our members have told us they need. In the pipeline, we have a London social, and we are planning a summer fair to welcome the local community onto campus. This will give families from lower socioeconomic backgrounds a fun, free day out, while introducing young people to the world of STEM. There will be bouncy castles, activity stalls, and plenty of chances to spark curiosity in the next generation. Because that representation matters.

I am excited about the real and lasting change we can make. It is not just my vision It’s ours, as a collective.

If you are a PhD student, or you know someone who is, reach out. Come to an event. We are always looking for team members, event volunteers, and mentors to support PhD applicants.

Let us build a space to unwind, develop our skill sets, support the next generation and thrive together.

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