Bucks New University is celebrating Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month (GRTHM) with events championing higher education routes.

The High Wycombe university is hosting an online exhibition and debate as part of its celebration of GRTHM.

During June BNU is celebrating the varied and valued contributions the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities make to British society, as part of its commitment to encourage members of these communities to get into higher education.

Bucks is hosting an online exhibition of work by Dr Daniel Baker, a Romani Gypsy artist, curator and theorist, on its website as well as a debate on June 30 hosted by Vice-Chancellor Professor Nick Braisby, exploring performance, identity, prejudice and representations of GRT communities.

Professor Braisby said: "At Bucks New University, we’re proud of everyone in our diverse and inclusive university community.

"We work tirelessly to break down barriers to ensure that everyone can benefit from the transformative education we provide.

"Our proud track record to widen participation from GRT communities includes developing a ‘good practice pledge’ to encourage access to higher education from these communities, by bringing together GRT university graduates, other universities, and education charities.

"We hope this work will be transformational in opening up opportunities for members of the GRT communities to flourish within UK higher education."

Dr Baker said he was "extremely pleased" to be part of the university’s GRTHM activity and added: “My experience of higher education helped me to realise that I could have a say in how my life was documented and therefore how my community and our experiences were perceived and ultimately understood.

"Higher education gave me a vehicle and vocabulary through which to challenge the status quo and to add my own account from my own perspective.

"I am very pleased therefore to be part of this timely ‘GRT in HE’ initiative and to be able to share in discussion with the Bucks New University community.”

Professor Braisby will host a debate on Gypsy, Roma and Travellers in higher education from 5.30pm-6.45pm on Tuesday, June 30, with Dr Baker and professional dancer, choreographer, Roma scholar, and Flamenco historian Rosa Cisneros from Coventry University.

Anyone wishing to take part can register by emailing Sherrie Smith at sherrie.smith@bucks.ac.uk.