Nero Ughwujabo awarded honorary doctorate by UEL

Published

06 September 2023

Nero Ughwujabo, a senior strategy adviser at the Prince’s Trust has received an honorary doctorate in equality, diversity and inclusion from the University of East London’s Royal Docks School of Business and Law. He received the award at a ceremony at the University’s Docklands campus.

Mr Ughwujabo has had a long career as a strategic leader and thinker on race and inclusion issues, serving as a special adviser at the Number 10 policy unit under then-Prime Minister Theresa May before joining The Prince’s Trust. He also spent 15 years as the chief executive of Croydon’s Black and Minority Ethnic Forum.

Born in Nigeria, he moved to London at the age of 14, where he faced a host of new challenges, not least an unfamiliar climate and dealing with racial prejudice. The hardships he encountered motivated him to learn more about the experiences of Black and Asian people in the UK and began to shape his dedication to promoting equality.

Speaking at the ceremony where he was awarded his honorary doctorate, he offered graduates from the Royal Docks School of Business and Law the following tips for a successful future,

Stay learning. Follow your passion, celebrate your successes and give back."

After graduating with a BA in Film and Drama, he was awarded an MBA by the University of East London before beginning his work in Croydon. He has fond memories of his time at UEL, describing it as a “transformative experience, not a mere chapter in my life, but a catalyst that ignited my potential and shaped my trajectory in public service. I was privileged to learn alongside exceptional minds of all backgrounds and experiences.”

During his time on the BME Forum Mr Ughwujabo supported numerous BME organisations, building capacity and helping to secure much needed funding to support their activities. He also represented the forum at the strategic level, serving on Croydon’s Local Strategic Partnership.

His work was recognised by his appointment to Number 10 as a special advisor on social justice, young people and opportunity. During his time in government he worked on the Race Disparity Audit, a project established by the prime minister specifically to shine a light on ethnicity and how it affects our chances in life.

He also worked on stakeholder engagement with a focus on reaching communities who are otherwise excluded from democratic processes. He was responsible for leading the government's celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush and the announcement of 22 June as Windrush Day, marking the contribution of the Windrush generation to Britain. He was also involved in the establishment of 22 April as Stephen Lawrence Day, to celebrate the life and legacy of the murdered teenager.

A frequent speaker about issues surrounding social justice, young people, equality, diversity and inclusion Mr Ughwujabo has appeared at a range of national and international events. He has been a guest speaker at US President Barack Obama’s MBK Rising event, attended the United States Congress in Washington, appeared at the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington and visited the European Union in Brussels.