Talk 200 is the new lecture and podcast series from the University marking our bicentenary: 200 years of making a difference. Throughout the year, we’re reflecting on our past, celebrating our present and looking to the future – and Talk 200 invites listeners to be part of the journey. 

In the latest Talk 200 episode, Andy Spinoza is joined by Professor Colette Fagan, the University’s Vice-President for Research, responsible for leading our research and doctoral training strategy; Aisha Akram, University of Manchester Students’ Union Wellbeing and Liberation Officer; and George Obolo, a final year MBChB Medicine student at Manchester and award-winning social entrepreneur, leader, builder and public speaker.

They discuss fairness, equality, equity and the role of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) action plans in higher education for students and staff, and more widely in society. They highlight how the University advances equality and fairness through the impact of its research – from the past, through to the present and into the future.

From Manchester’s role in the Industrial Revolution and its ties to the global cotton trade, through to key figures in the University’s radical history, such as Christabel Pankhurst, Alan Turing and Arthur Lewis, the group chart the University’s EDI journey, examine our institutional commitment to EDI, and discuss how our research produces evidence and solutions to advance equality and fairness across the globe, as well as in our local community.

Listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. The Talk 200 series will continue throughout 2024, marking the University’s bicentenary year.