Curriculum change: listen for tokenism as well as belonging

Updated Oct 27, 2026

Students welcomed cultural representation and new perspectives in their curriculum, while questioning changes they considered superficial. Hasan Gilani’s study in Studies in Higher Education examines their experiences of curriculum decolonisation through a student–staff partnership.

What the study examined

The research examined an Inclusive Practice Partnership scheme in a UK university's School of Business and Law. Within a participatory action research design, Gilani thematically analysed three focus groups involving 22 students who had experienced revised modules.

The question was how students experienced representation, belonging and the authenticity of curriculum decolonisation.

What students' accounts revealed

Representation could feel personally meaningful. Students described recognition and inclusion when their cultural backgrounds appeared in course content.

Students also valued intellectual challenge. Accounts described examining theories through different perspectives and questioning assumptions about their universality.

Welcoming change did not mean finding it sufficient. Critical accounts described superficial additions and missed opportunities to examine colonial histories in depth.

Partnership brought difficulties in speaking up. Student partners reported resistance and concerns about presenting recommendations to lecturers who taught them.

The findings draw on students’ accounts within a single school. The author identifies quantitative validation of the proposed explanatory model as a next step.

References

[Paper Source]: Hasan Gilani "Reimagining epistemic justice: a dual-pathway model of decolonising the curriculum through student-staff partnerships" DOI: 10.1080/03075079.2026.2733943

Published online: 19 September 2026, Studies in Higher Education.