Dr Sarju Patel

Senior Lecturer, Associate Dean for Equality, Diversity & inclusion

: PatelS2@cardiff.ac.uk
: +44 29206 88858
: Cochrane Building, Room 5th floor, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4YU

Overview
Biography

I have been fortunate to have a wide exposure to equality, diversity and inclusion in my role and school. From events that happen in the school and society and my role working with student, I have recently developed a passion for Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI). I have been exposed to EDI in my roles, as CBL facilitator, personal tutor, deputy year director, a teacher and a member of Cardiff University. In my roles I observe how diverse the community is and the various needs and support systems that are required. To support this, I have taken up several committee leadership roles, as Deputy Chair of the C4ME EDI Committee, lead on the Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Attainment Task & Finish group and the co-chair of the Student Staff Race Equality Task Group and more recently, as the Associate Dean for Equality, Diversity & inclusion, College of Biological and Life Sciences. These roles and responsibilities have supported me in making policy changes as well as the education of students and colleagues on the importance of EDI for us all.

I am a Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Medical Education with over 25 years of teaching and research experience. I obtained my PhD in 1996 and have worked for Cardiff University all my working life, first as a researcher and since 2016 as an educator in the Medical School. My responsibilities within the medical course mean I play a key role in the design, delivery, and assessment of the undergraduate medical curriculum.

Since joining the Centre for Medical Education in 2016, I have been appointed to several leadership roles detailed previously. Within my roles, I have shown a track record of developing and supporting staff, academic and professional services, and students. I aim to build their competencies in a compassionate and inclusive way. I have also taken on significant projects such as the integration of the C21 Medical course in North Wales, a project I administered and enhanced for teaching and students which led to a 6-month secondment as the Year 2 Lead Bangor University.

In addition to these roles, my beliefs and work ethics to enable fairness, respect, truthfulness and equality for my colleagues and the students have facilitated my appointment to the role of Associate Dean for Equality, Diversity & inclusion for the College of Biological and Life Sciences. In this role, I have been fortunate to be able to lead on projects and develop policies that help create an inclusive, equitable and respectful environment and culture in which to work and study.

In addition to my roles and responsibilities for our current students, I in collaboration with Cardiff University’s Community Gateway project have developed and delivered the Promoting Academic Excellence (PACE) project since 2018. The project works with schools whose pupils are from widening access backgrounds, with the hope of inspiring these pupils to consider University as an option and view careers within the healthcare professions as a reachable goal.

Honours and awards

Most Engaging Staff Member. Students Union Enriching Student Life Awards - Nomination - 2023
Recognition for Changing my life. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2022
Recognition for never failing to stand-up for students giving them a voice to change things within the medical school that are unjust. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2022
Recognition for being incredibly supportive throughout Year 2. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2022
Recognition of Service to the School of Medicine and Medical Admissions. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2022
Most Uplifting Member of Staff. Students Union Enriching Student Life Awards - Nomination - 2022
Outstanding Contribution Award for Sustained Contribution Over Many Years. Cardiff University - Awarded - 2021
Recognition for Co-Ordinating the Student Response During the COVID Pandemic and Supporting his Tutees. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2021
Recognition for Kindness, Thoughtfulness and Generosity with Regards Making Time. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2021
Team Recognition of Co-ordinating C4ME Pandemic Volunteering Activities. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2021
Team Recognition of Phase 1 Curriculum Staff Go That Extra Mile Unstintingly. Centre for Medical Education Recognition Awards - Nomination - 2021
Most Uplifting Member of Staff. Students Union Enriching Student Life Awards - Nomination - 2020
Outstanding Contribution to Engagement Activities. Cardiff University Medic Star Award - Winner - 2019
Most Uplifting Member of Staff. Students Union Enriching Student Life Awards - Nomination - 2018
Personal tutor of the Year. Students Union Enriching Student Life Awards - Nomination - 2017

Professional memberships

Race Charter Panel Member	Advanced HE	2022
EDI Faiths task and finish group	Medical Schools Council	2022
EDI Alliance	Medical Schools Council	2021
Senior Fellow	Higher Education Academy	2019
Fellow	Higher Education Academy	2016

Academic positions

Cardiff University	Senior Lecturer	01/09/2020	Present
Cardiff University	Lecturer	01/06/2016	31/08/2020
Cardiff University	Research Associate Cardiology	01/08/2008	30/05/2016
Cardiff University	Research Associate Geriatric Medicine	13/05/1996	31/07/2008

Committees and reviewing

External committees

Race Charter Panel Member, Advanced HE
EDI Faiths task and finish group, Medical Schools Council
EDI Alliance, Medical Schools Council

Submissions to Government consultations

Benfield E, Brennan P, Casey R, Cochrane E, Ellis S, John W, Forty L, Morris L, McKay E, Richardson J, Patel S, Stanton N, Webb K (submitted October 2021) Submission to Welsh Government Consultation LGBTQ+ Action Plan https://cf.sharepoint.com/:b:/t/WelshGovConsultLGBTQActionPlan/EcO1YraVcVtIjcsckelIr4oBZR9PeARP2jB0oS_RNyU0IQ?e=HFwHg8

Allen J, Basu P, Brennan P, Forty L, Goodfellow R, Mensuoh L, Patel S, Vyas J (submitted July 2021) Submission to Welsh Government Consultation regarding an Anti Racist Wales https://cf.sharepoint.com/:b:/t/MEDICStudentRaceEqualityTaskGroup/EeCAc5vENyJMrz6KQUbzjaABhYNt-lHjociOqHA7b3GHmw?e=ESRuG1