Since 2014 BERA has awarded the John Nisbet Fellowship to recipients who are deemed to have made an outstanding contribution to educational research over their career. Named in honour of our first President, this award recognises individuals who exemplify BERA’s commitment to encouraging educational research and its application for the improvement of practice and public benefit.

We are delighted to announce that this year’s recipient is Professor Heidi Safia Mirza

Heidi Safia Mirza is Emeritus Professor of Equality Studies in Education at UCL Institute of Education. She is internationally known for her pioneering intersectional research on Race, gender, and identity in education and championing equality and rights for Black, Asian and Muslim Women and young people through educational reform. A daughter of the Windrush generation from Trinidad, Heidi has been honoured as one of the first and rare 35 ‘Phenomenal Black Women Professors’ in Britain. She is author of several best-selling books including, Race Gender and Educational Desire, Black British Feminism and Young Female and Black, which was voted in the top 40 most influential educational studies in Britain. A leading voice in the global debate on decolonisation she  co-edited the flagship book, ‘Dismantling Race in Higher Education: Racism, whiteness and decolonising the academy’. She recently led the influential Institute of Fiscal Studies  (IFS) Deaton Review of  ‘Race and ethnic inequalities’ which includes the impact of COVID-19 on Black and minority ethnic communities. Race and ethnic inequalities | Oxford Open Economics | Oxford Academic

Podcasts and profiles

Spotlight on… Professor Heidi Mirza | UCL News – UCL – University College London

Introducing Intersectionality: In conversation with Heidi Safia Mirza | BERA

Being a Professor – A Personal Journey to Professorship – career-advice.jobs.ac.uk

Understanding race, ethnicity and health inequalities – with Heidi Safia Mirza and Shabna Begum

Heidi will be receiving her award at this year’s BERA AGM in November where she will also speak on her work.