Our Vice-Chancellor responds following the decision not to reappoint Dr Aminul Hoque as a trustee for the Royal Museums Greenwich.
Date: 11 May 2021
A statement from our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lynn Dobbs, following reports that the government may have blocked Dr Aminul Hoque, a London Met academic, from being reappointed as a board trustee for the Royal Museums Greenwich.
Professor Lynn Dobbs, Vice-Chancellor of London Metropolitan University, said:
"I have full support for Dr. Aminul Hoque and express my concerns regarding a recent decision to veto his second term as a trustee on the Royal Museums Greenwich board.
"Alongside a number of other roles, Dr. Hoque is a highly regarded academic at London Metropolitan University. I was disappointed to learn of the recent decision which prevented Dr Hoque’s reappointment, his absence on the board will be a great loss.
"I am concerned by reports suggesting the reappointment may have been blocked due to his academic interest in decolonisation. I believe that to lose a dedicated, well qualified, trustee due to a difference of academic opinion would have an impact on Board effectiveness and the long term success of this organisation's valuable work.
"Our University is committed to making higher education a more diverse, equal and inclusive place for both students and staff. London Met supports a critical examination of our past and encourages our academic staff to engage in decolonial theory and practice – this is a key pillar of our Learning and Teaching strategy the Education for Social Justice Framework. We believe that engagement with decolonial theory has a valuable place alongside exploration of dominant knowledge traditions. I therefore express my personal support, and that of the institution, for Dr. Hoque’s work, as well as the work of all academics who are helping to make higher education more inclusive."
London Met is dedicated to supporting equality within higher education. The institution recently launched its Race Equity Strategy which reflects this commitment to ensure that real change is delivered across the University.
