Syra Shakir is a Senior Teaching Fellow and has worked as a senior academic at Leeds Trinity University since 2008. Syra is the university lead on race equality in the curriculum, learning , teaching and assessment.

Syra is passionate about innovation in teaching and students as co-creators of their own learning in higher education. 

Syra collaborated with film maker Ricardo Barker to develop a toolkit for tackling racism in higher education using film and the aftermath debate. This toolkit has been delivered and shared with several universities across the country in the fight against racism and inequality at university.  The training toolkit and the compulsory race eqaulity curriculum, Syra has led won the What Uni award in 2021 for Equality and Diversity and have received a nomination for outstanding contribution to Equality and Diversity by The Times Higher in 2021 also.  Advance HE have highlighted the film as a good practice educational tool. 

Syra is a qualified social worker with children and families and her background is professional, front-line practice with communities for over 18 years. She has also worked as an Independent Reviewing Officer for children in care, in youth work and in the probation service. Syra’s passion is in supporting people to be the best they can be and challenging social injustices. She lives in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

Syra teaches a wide variety of modules throughout various courses at Leeds Trinity University. These are:

• Working with Children, Young People and Families

• Foundation Degree in Supporting Children and Families

• University wide race equality curriculum sessions
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• Specialist creative university wide student projects

Syra wrote the first higher level apprenticeships in the north and at LTU which are the

• Higher Level Apprenticeships in Adult Social Care and Children, Young People and Families both levels 4 and 5. 

Syra has specific research interests and expertise in the following areas:

• Child Protection

• Safeguarding

• Services to Children, Young People and Families

• Race equality
• Diversity and Inclusion 
• Race Equality Charter
• Co Creation with Students 
• Creative and Innvoative student projects

Syra can be consulted by external organisations on the following topics/areas:

• Child Protection and Safeguarding

• Looked after Children

• Diversity

• Child Sexual Exploitation

Syra is currently involved  research/ consultancy projects. These are:

• Diversity and Equality

• Anti Racist Practice

• Race equality in our curriculum

• removing barriers to success for BAME students and staff 
• providing and creating support systems to enable success for BAME students and staff.

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