Sofia Akel is an education activist and researcher, campaigning and leading work to tackle institutional racism in education, including the awarding gap, academic pipeline and decolonising education. She has worked in a number of universities and students’ unions, holding various elected, specialist and consultancy roles. Currently, she is leading London Metropolitan University’s race equity work for the Centre of Equity and Inclusion.

Sofia’s previous research Insider-Outsider (2019) examined the role of race in shaping the experiences of Black and minority ethnic students at Goldsmiths College and Students’ Union, which was covered nationally in the press.