'Developing a new module has been nerve wrecking and exhilarating to say the least but as it comes closer to the new academic year, I am thrilled to be able to bring in a new and unique module that was never taught before in the faculty. Shouldering the responsibility is challenging but it is long overdue for our students, so I am taking this on with pride and confidence. I would encourage colleagues to also start with their own journey of reading, engaging and reflecting and take gradual steps in decolonizing their subject areas.'

-- Dr Maisha Reza on creating Decolonizing Medicine, An Introduction. Please see the end of the page for their full reflection. It is a fantastic read and recommended to all staff.

Dr Maisha Reza has innovatively crafted their Biomedical Sciences module around decolonisation. Whilst Dr Reza has reflected on the difficulties in decolonising a science-based module, and the perceptions around this, they have proactively taken a decolonial approach in their teaching and content to change how Biomedical Sciences is taught and learn. This case study explains the key components of their work and module, to help guide and act as an example of excellent practice to staff wishing to decolonise their teaching. Below are excepts from the module description, and module aims, however a link is provided to the right that has the full text.

Module Description​​​​​​​

'You will investigate the extent to which Science and Medicine from the Global North as we know it today, have been largely founded on colonialism, oppression, slavery, discrimination and injustice. This will form the basis for critical analysis of key historical events [e.g. Tuskegee Experiment: the infamous Syphilis study; J Marion Sims (The Father of Modern Gynaecology) surgically experimenting on enslaved Black women] and the extent to which they perpetuate exclusion and injustice on modern day education, healthcare and clinical practice.'

Module Aims

'Decolonizing Science is often perceived to be irrelevant with unclear definitions and poorly understood contexts. This module encourages you to investigate the extent to which knowledge generated from the Global North (Europe and America), in terms of research, education, communication and practice have been built on colonialism, slavery, oppression, discrimination and injustice. You will explore the problematic nature of studying Science and Medicine from only the Eurocentric/Western lens, overlooking its historical contexts and excluding non-Western knowledge creators. You will get opportunities to discuss and debate the extent of impact and influence of historical atrocities on our education and healthcare practices today. All differing viewpoints backed by research and evidence are highly welcome and recommended to enhance the vibrancy and robustness of discussions and debates.'

Module descriptor

Description - summary of the module content Module description. This module explores the concept of decolonization in Higher Education Institutes, with a specific focus on Science and Medicine.

Learn through PowerPoint

Find out more about the Decolonizing Medicine, An introduction, through these visually dynamic presentations. The first is directed internally to students taking the module; the second, was developed for a CPD programme at the University of Reading.

Supporting resources: reading lists

Dr Reza includes a set and optional reading list for each themed week. However, this also includes a set of reflective questions to help encourage students to critically reflect on the resources, thinking about why voices have been silenced, who are we reading, and how can we read what is present to determine what is absent.

Why did students choose this module?

Here are some answers from students* when asked the question "Why did I choose this module?" They reflect on themes of expanding knowledge, changing perspective, and having tools to help others.

*Whilst some minor typos and grammatical errors have been corrected, this quotations are accurate to the original statements.

"To expand my knowledge and awareness on the history of discrimination in medicine and how it affects us today."

Interested in breaking down the history of medicine and science from a perspective that isn't talked about enough and unlearning and unconscious bias."

"It's a chance to educate myself about subjects that are often ignored in education."

"Need to educate myself on the current injustices occuring and how they came about in order to better myself and to help make changes."

Why Decolonizing Medicine? How it Started

A reflection by Dr Maisha Reza

Knowledge for me has for a long time, been a one dimensional and non-questionable (facts are facts) and it remained so until I migrated from Singapore to the UK.  I had hardly questioned the methodology of knowledge creation or reflected on the homogeneity of knowledge creators that I was exposed to from childhood as I perceived it to be the norm.

While our primary school textbooks had cartoons representing our Singaporean diversity, when we studied Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Mathematics, in high school and colleges, we were shown scientists and scholars who discovered these concepts and created the knowledge that drive our world today as White and from the West/Global North. I studied Thomas Edison and the hundreds of experiments he conducted before he found tungsten as the appropriate material to conduct electricity. My knowledge pool was shaped by scientists and inventors such as Issac Newton, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin etc. These scientists were brilliant and the knowledge developed by them and have made significant contributions towards Science and Medicine but the contribution of scientists who looked like me or belonged to my region have been absent. In fact, I hardly saw any other non-White knowledge creators in my academic journey further reinforcing the narrative that White knowledge and White knowledge creators are ‘superior’ and the only knowledge worth disseminating globally.

It was when I started my journey in the UK as a lecturer that I heard of the terms such as ‘decolonizing higher education’ and movements such as ‘Rhodes must fall’ and ‘Why is my curriculum White?’. After extensive reading on the concept of decolonizing HEIs and the curriculum, I realized that it was the answer to the questions I have been asking as a young adult in Singapore. I realized that the problem was never the lack of diverse knowledge creators or inferior intellectual capacity but rather the impact and trails of colonialism and White supremacy that have muted them.

However, the more discussions I had with colleagues across the UK, it seemed there was a perception that decolonization of education was more relevant to the Arts, History, Media etc where different voices and perspectives are crucial to provide a holistic approach to understanding and interpreting the subject. Notwithstanding the challenge subjects like Art and Media face, it was much easier to point out where diversity was missing or how White perspectives dominated the subjects, making it more obvious as to what needed to be done to change that.

Science/Medicine on the other hand has been perceived by colleagues including myself, as ‘black and white’ knowledge with little room for opinions or perspectives. I have over this period heard confusion on whether decolonization of Science is even relevant because ultimately, ‘DNA is DNA’ and we cannot change that. Moreover, students come to university so that we as academics can impart knowledge and skills to them and shape them to contribute to the workforce that they will graduate into. I had a gut feeling that decolonization is important and needed to be investigated but was unsure of where or how to start.

There is a rising interest in diversifying the curriculum and making it more inclusive, but also a lack of understanding of the concept of decolonization with regards to Science/Medicine. Furthermore, the tools to translate the decolonization of the curriculum into actionable changes is also scarce. At Exeter, I spent months reading literature on what decolonization meant and how it would translate to knowledge in Science. Mirza (2014) highlights how complex exclusion is especially in higher education as intersecting factors such as class, gender and race are at play (Mirza, 2014).  She further commented on how Black and ethnic minority women are often treated as ‘gendered, raced, classed, colonized and sexualized others’ in systemic structures of power and dominance. Even when ethnic women’s voices are captured in literature or in historical contexts, their voices have often been whitewashed and projected from the white lens.

Overwhelmed by the different narratives and perspectives, as many academic often are on where to start with the decolonization journey, I tried to make sense of decolonization in my own way by embedding my own lived experiences as an ethnic woman within my reading. Below, is what I believe, best illustrates my understanding and how to start.

Module Delivery

I was certain that I did not want this module to be delivered as a conventional weekly eye-opening lecture series. While many modules can be delivered in the lecture-tutorial model highly successfully, I do feel that the students on this module should be considered as active learners (Biggs, 1999) and take the lead in doing their readings and engaging in critical thinking, with the highest amount of student activity as possible. My aim was to empower them with articles, videos and other scholarly material but it was of central importance to me that I do not influence their thoughts but rather let them derive the ‘answers’ themselves by asking questions and encouraging them to question their thoughts as well.  Hence, I decided to use the flipped classroom model where I provide students with material to engage and reflect on before they attend each workshop session for discussions and debates.

Identifying The Correct Audience

I maintained that this should be an elective module and a smaller module given the intensity of the subject matter. It should be small enough for me and other tutors to engage with the students on a more intimate level, which is essential to discuss a topic that may evoke some negative responses or emotions.

The module is highly interactive and requires active participation from students. Debates and discussion are not only an integral part of module delivery but also a mode of assessment making up 20% of the module grade. Although a module such as Decolonizing Medicine is important for all students to learn from, at least for the first few years, I would like to keep it as an elective module for 2nd and 3rd year student, so that only students who are interested or have a passion for it, take on the module and hopefully, engage actively.

Developing a new module has been nerve wrecking and exhilarating to say the least but as it comes closer to the new academic year, I am thrilled to be able to bring in a new and unique module that was never taught before in the faculty. Shouldering the responsibility is challenging but it is long overdue for our students, so I am taking this on with pride and confidence. I would encourage colleagues to also start with their own journey of reading, engaging and reflecting and take gradual steps in decolonizing their subject areas.

Module Delivery

I was certain that I did not want this module to be delivered as a conventional weekly eye-opening lecture series. While many modules can be delivered in the lecture-tutorial model highly successfully, I do feel that the students on this module should be considered as active learners (Biggs, 1999) and take the lead in doing their readings and engaging in critical thinking, with the highest amount of student activity as possible. My aim was to empower them with articles, videos and other scholarly material but it was of central importance to me that I do not influence their thoughts but rather let them derive the ‘answers’ themselves by asking questions and encouraging them to question their thoughts as well.  Hence, I decided to use the flipped classroom model where I provide students with material to engage and reflect on before they attend each workshop session for discussions and debates.

Identifying The Correct Audience

I maintained that this should be an elective module and a smaller module given the intensity of the subject matter. It should be small enough for me and other tutors to engage with the students on a more intimate level, which is essential to discuss a topic that may evoke some negative responses or emotions.

The module is highly interactive and requires active participation from students. Debates and discussion are not only an integral part of module delivery but also a mode of assessment making up 20% of the module grade. Although a module such as Decolonizing Medicine is important for all students to learn from, at least for the first few years, I would like to keep it as an elective module for 2nd and 3rd year student, so that only students who are interested or have a passion for it, take on the module and hopefully, engage actively.

Developing a new module has been nerve wrecking and exhilarating to say the least but as it comes closer to the new academic year, I am thrilled to be able to bring in a new and unique module that was never taught before in the faculty. Shouldering the responsibility is challenging but it is long overdue for our students, so I am taking this on with pride and confidence. I would encourage colleagues to also start with their own journey of reading, engaging and reflecting and take gradual steps in decolonizing their subject areas.

Biggs, J. (1999). What the student does: Teaching for enhanced learning. Higher education research & development, 18(1), 57-75.

Mirza, H. S. (2014). Decolonizing higher education: Black feminism and the intersectionality of race and gender. Journal of Feminist Scholarship, 7(7), 1-12.

Student feedback

‘...really helped strengthen my skills in critical analysis, formal communication, and argument construction, to name a few... Overall, this is a module that NEEDS to be made core/compulsory for all - it has the potential to enact real change within the university and leadership needs to place more emphasis on modules like this one.’ ~ AY2021-2022

‘These skills have not only been an asset to my understanding of this module but I believe they have resulted in my improvement as a student and a better professional…The support given in understanding what is required of me in the assessment journals is the best I have received at the university.’ ~ AY2021-2022

‘It has given me the confidence to speak and have difficult discussions with people. It has developed my critical thinking and my ability to different sources and different types of information.’ ~ AY2022-2023

‘Modules like this are the next step in medical teaching, and I think will bring around a much more educated cohort of medical professionals more equipped to deal with an amazingly diverse population.’~ AY2021-2022

‘...Personally, I’ve grown so much & cannot wait to carry forward what I’ve learnt from Decolonizing into my future work. It has changed my outlook forever.’ AY2022-2023

Further reading

Finally, here are four fantastic articles written by Maisha, that have been published on Times Higher Education, of which two of them are co-authored by a student who took Maisha's module in the last academic year.

• Decolonising medicine, part one: first steps

• Decolonising medicine: empowering students with active learning

• Decolonising medical curricula: part three

• Decolonising your learning resources: representation matters