www.soasworld.org SOAS The magazine for alumni and friends Issue 43 – 2019 SOAS leads the debate SOAS Director co-leads on decolonising initiative to address the curriculum BAME attainment gap SOAS launches its first Alumnus Kelvin Cheung – degree programme combatting food, poverty outside the UK and social isolation HRH The Duchess of Sussex and Dr. Sabaratnam from SOAS at the Duchess’ first official visit as Patron of ACU (Association of Commonwealth Universities). CC Jonathan Cole, ACU. Contents SOAS News 3 Features 9 Philanthropy 17 Alumni News & Events 23 SOAS Connect 31 In Memoriam 33 SOAS Book World 35 Welcome to the 2019 National Union of students go to university, come from issue of SOAS World. (NUS) co-led the project. schools or areas with low participation in higher education, I am writing this having recently As part of the data gathering or face other barriers to welcomed our new and process, we heard from UK accessing higher education. returning students to SOAS students, university staff and in late September. Welcome others with an interest in black Financial circumstances and Week always has such a buzz and minority ethnic issues. background should not prevent and this year we were happy to We learned a lot. From the anyone from accessing higher have 300 new Foundation Year students constantly having to education. Our student callers students, who I hope will be explain the realities of their have been busy raising funds this with us for the next four years. daily experiences, white staff summer - I am pleased to say It was a pleasure to welcome who were fearful about talking we reached £65,000. This fund Give back to SOAS them to campus and experience about race and racism because is so important, if you haven’t the atmosphere in the room. they did not want to say the already done so, you can donate wrong thing and BAME staff directly via makeagift.soas.ac.uk. “I grew up in the UK but I have limited leave to remain, which meant Our students have embarked on who often had to mentor and I couldn’t access student finance. There was no way I could have their academic journey as we support BAME students but SOAS is a university which continue to experience great did not receive any support or provides a distinctive academic afforded studying. When I found out I had been awarded a SOAS uncertainty across many parts recognition for the additional environment for staff and Sanctuary Scholarship to study MA Law, I called my mother in Nigeria of the world. As I write, here time required for this work. students. Global is in our DNA in the UK we are still unsure and SOAS occupies a special and she was ecstatic. My family are so proud of me and as we do in what will happen with respect At SOAS we have put in place a place in the world of higher Nigeria, now they call me “The Law”. Don’t ask me why we do that!” to Britain’s relationship to the strong set of recommendations education. We challenge, European Union. As a global, to address the BAME we question and we strive outward facing university, SOAS attainment gap at the School. to remain true to our values. Mariam Otaiku (LLM 2018) - Sanctuary Scholarship Recipient values its connection with As part of our commitment In the year ahead, we will countries across the world and to excellence we feel strongly continue to work to ensure the richness and diversity of that everyone should have an SOAS remains a distinct, diverse The support of the SOAS community - • Support students from BAME and low- our staff and student body. equal opportunity to succeed in and inclusive environment. alumni, students, staff and friends of the income backgrounds throughout their higher education. Universities School - helps widen access, increase studies, through outreach work and financial Last year I had the privilege are as much about delivering I hope you enjoy this issue. diversity and offer gifted students equal support. of co-leading on behalf of equality as they are about opportunities at SOAS. Universities UK (UUK) - the excellent scholarship and Valerie Amos • Help us preserve the SOAS Library’s rich national body representing knowledge transfer. They are collection of knowledge and culture for Your gift can: universities in the United places where opportunity and future generations, including digitising Kingdom - a project to look at aspiration come together. • Give students like Mariam an opportunity to our collection to make these resources ways of closing the Black, Asian access higher education. accessible to all. and minority ethnic (BAME) In addition, our SOAS attainment gap in universities. Opportunities Fund supports Visit www.soasworld.org/give-back Amatey Doku, Vice President talented students who may to find out more. for Higher Education at the be the first in their family to 1 SOAS World Issue 43 www.soasworld.org 2 On Campus A round up of news and events SOAS News from SOAS in the last year. (L-R) SOAS Director Baroness Valerie Amos, Lindsey Hilsum, His Highness Muhammad Sanusi II (CON) Sarkin Kano, Margaret Busby, SOAS President Graça Machel and Nursyahbani Katjasungkana SOAS honours world-renowned fi gures SOAS awarded Honorary “You’re very fortunate to and human rights lawyer Degrees and Fellowships have studied at SOAS – this Nursyahbani Katjasungkana. to pioneering fi gures at the wonderfully multifaceted place and fought for and gained 2018 and 2019 graduations. that is steeped in diversity where Baroness Valerie Amos said: recognition for women’s rights di erence is normal, where “Our honorary awardees this in Indonesia. Their achievements In 2018, artist and social activist di erent people from di erent year are all remarkable people refl ect the values which are Forest Whitaker, international parts of the world converge to who have been pioneers and important to us at SOAS and fi lm curator June Givanni, learn, question and grow”. innovators and sought to bring I am delighted to welcome human rights activist Vrinda about change in the world. them to our community”. Grover, world-renowned author In 2019 SOAS honoured Their work has furthered the Dr Jung Chang and award- award-winning journalist, public’s understanding of You can watch the speeches winning novelist Chimamanda Lindsey Hilsum; anti- confl ict and humanitarian a airs; from our Honorary Ngozi Adichie, were awarded corruption campaigner, His demonstrated how to tackle high Fellows and Graduates Honorary Degrees. Highness Muhammad Sanusi level corruption in often complex on the SOAS YouTube Channel: II (CON), editor, broadcaster situations; paved the way for www.youtube.com/ Ms Adichie told SOAS graduates, and critic, Margaret Busby; greater diversity in publishing; user/soasuniversity 3 SOAS World Issue 43 www.soasworld.org 4 SOAS Director, Baroness Valerie Amos and Ngee Ann President, Mr Richard Lee, sign the agreement to deliver SOAS degrees in Singapore. Ngee Ann Academy Campus, Singapore BSc Management enables students marketing, finance, international management, research methods, SOAS launches its first degree to become effective managers in a changing world, offering managerial economics, and strategy. programme outside the UK modules in international business BA International Management and strategy, organisational behaviour, South East Asian Studies prepares human resources management, students to work in management In February 2019, SOAS began of Adelaide, Australia) and is accounting, finance, managerial in South East Asia or elsewhere offering its first degree-level underpinned by Ngee Ann Kongsi, economics, marketing, corporate programme taught entirely a charitable body in Singapore. that requires knowledge of the outside of the UK. This NAA aims to be an exceptional governance, business ethics and region. The programme provides new partnership with Ngee The alignment of values institution for developing well corporate social responsibility. students with an excellent, broad Ann Academy in Singapore with SOAS and the rounded individuals who are foundational knowledge of offers three International committed to making positive BSc International Management focus that the Ngee international management systems Management undergraduate contributions to society. (Japan & Korea) provides students with Ann Academy gives to of South East Asia along with regional programmes, two of which “ skill sets and a grounding for careers focus on Japan and Korea and The partnership was announced cultural and political issues. education, particularly in Japanese and Korean organisations, South East Asian Studies. higher education, at a ceremony in Singapore in November 2018. SOAS Director, or those dealing with these countries. Students can opt to learn a specific SOAS has always been an are an enabler for Baroness Valerie Amos said: “The Students gain knowledge of South East Asian language to a level internationally focussed and social mobility.” alignment of values with SOAS Japanese and Korean management which will be of practical use when outward looking university. We and the focus that the Ngee Ann systems along with a broader set have successful relationships SOAS Director, Academy gives to education, communicating or working with a of disciplines including accounting, with many global institutions, Baroness Valerie Amos particularly higher education, are native speaker of that language. but until this year, we had an enabler for social mobility. not offered a degree-level Singapore as a country welcomes course taught entirely outside the UK. UK universities as a key and ongoing element of opportunity to spend a year Baroness Valerie Amos said In a competitive and its higher education system and that system is studying in another country, “We are proud of these international environment, our This new partnership brings SOAS together with the recognised globally for the quality of its education.” we see this as an opportunity programmes and very excited work with NAA is an excellent Ngee Ann Academy (NAA) in Singapore.