Addressing race equality within learning and teaching is part of quality enhancement. It is for the benefit of all students, and should not be viewed as only necessary when there are minority ethnic students around. The forthcoming Equality Act 2010 requires all public bodies, including higher education institutions to:

• be proactive in eliminating discrimination, harassment and victimisation,
• be proactive in advancing equality of opportunity between persons who share a protected characteristic1, and
• promote good relations between people with protected characteristics and other people.

1. Protected characteristics include race, sex, pregnancy and maternity, gender reassignment, disability, age, sexual orientation and religion or belief.