Equality, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI) Strategy

The School will embed Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) through the following four strategic aims:

• Strategic Area 1: Putting Students at the Heart of Everything We Do
• Strategic Area 2: Making a Difference through Using or Developing Technologies
• Strategic Area 3: Developing Staff and Unlocking Potential
• Strategic Area 4: A Great Place to Work and Learn

We will:

• Implement policies and actions to address ethnicity degree awarding gaps and progression issues for Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students.
• Apply practices from policies and guidelines to enhance the experience and outcomes of students with protected characteristics.
• Identify and execute actions to support the achievement of targets for mature, care-experienced, estranged, disabled students, and those from deprived backgrounds (IMD).
• Develop a more inclusive curriculum by diversifying and decolonising content and pedagogic practices in collaboration with students.
• Ensure EDI in supporting student achievement and positive graduate outcomes by partnering with employers and organisations that advocate for EDI and support underrepresented students.
• Provide targeted support through mentoring schemes for students from underrepresented groups.
• Improve support provisions and reporting mechanisms, and enhance communications to foster a zero-tolerance culture towards harassment, bullying, violence, and abuse.
• Tailor wellbeing services to better support minoritised students, including those from BAME backgrounds and LGBTQ+ students.
• Enhance student-focused EDI communications and engagement through awareness campaigns, training, and opportunities for student input to shape EDI priorities.

We will:

• Develop inclusive technologies by designing and developing solutions that are accessible to diverse users, including those with disabilities, to ensure all technological tools are usable and inclusive.
• Implement EDI training for technology staff to address biases and promote fair and inclusive technology design.
• Integrate EDI criteria in technology procurement by establishing criteria for evaluating and procuring technology that includes EDI considerations, ensuring new technologies support our EDI goals.
• Conduct regular technology impact assessments to evaluate the effects of technology on different groups, identifying and addressing potential EDI issues.
• Promote diverse representation in technology development by ensuring diverse teams and advisory boards to create solutions that reflect a broad audience.
• Enhance digital literacy and access by providing resources to improve skills and access for underrepresented groups, empowering all users to effectively utilise technology.
• Develop EDI-focused research initiatives by supporting research on the intersection of EDI and technology to generate insights and solutions that advance EDI goals.
• Foster partnerships with EDI organisations by collaborating with external entities to enhance our practices and incorporate best practices into our technology initiatives.
• Monitor and report on EDI metrics in technology by tracking and evaluating EDI-related metrics to assess effectiveness and inform improvements, ensuring technology supports EDI objectives effectively.

We will:

• Introduce new support provisions, reporting mechanisms, and enhanced communications to develop a staff culture that fully reflects our zero-tolerance approach to harassment and bullying, building on existing policies.
• Implement innovative practices in staff recruitment and selection to ensure EDI is fully embedded, enhancing our current policy and training.
• Expand our volunteer race and LGBTQ+ equality allies programmes to create a broad network of trained allies who can effectively identify and address equality issues.
• Improve communication and engagement with staff on EDI matters, enhance employee feedback mechanisms, and use this feedback to shape future EDI priorities.
• Monitor the equality impact of our annual academic promotion process and take targeted actions to address equality issues in promotion, as outlined in our equality charters’ action plans.
• Ensure inclusive leadership is central to our leadership culture by aligning EDI work with tech leadership frameworks and leadership development schemes.
• Introduce ethnicity pay gap reporting alongside our annual gender pay gap report and take steps to address any ethnicity pay gaps while continuing to reduce our gender pay gap.
• Actively participate in and achieve relevant equality charters and kite marks, including Athena SWAN, Disability Confident, the Race Equality Charter, and the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.

We will:

• Implement our working policies to optimise the benefits of a mixed model of office and home working for staff and the School.
• Streamline our governance structures on EDI to strengthen local ownership of EDI activities and improve coordination and partnership.
• Maintain and develop our estate to ensure a welcoming, dynamic, and inclusive campus, with a focus on accessibility and faith/reflection spaces.

We will strive to be a leading institution in EDI, ensuring that students and staff from diverse backgrounds feel included, reach their full potential, and thrive. We aim to equip everyone to make a positive impact in social, educational, and professional contexts. To achieve this:

• We will use quantitative and qualitative data to identify weaknesses and strengths in relation to protected characteristics and their intersections. This will guide our efforts to address areas for improvement and build on best practices.
• We will seek best practice EDI initiatives from the Higher Education sector and beyond, applying this knowledge to enhance our internal EDI practices.
• We will strengthen our engagement with students and staff to ensure that everyone is fully included and empowered to promote and enhance equality at the School and in their broader lives.

The School is dedicated to providing a learning and working environment free from discrimination, harassment, and bullying. We foster a culture of mutual respect and support for diversity, ensuring that all students and staff can reach their full potential. Everyone, including staff, students, visitors, and applicants, is treated fairly regardless of age, disability, family responsibilities, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or work/study habits. Upholding this policy is the responsibility of all members of the School community.

All staff and students must:

• Understand and apply this policy in their daily activities and interactions.
• Comply with this policy and relevant legislation, including the Equality Act 2010.

Directors must:

• Lead by example and actively promote equality and diversity in all School activities.
• Ensure that both staff and students understand and adhere to this policy.
• Apply equality and diversity principles in managing staff.

Team responsibilities include:

• Admissions Team: Ensure that programme entry requirements are fair, transparent, inclusive, and compliant with legal and ethical standards. This includes evaluating merit, potential, and prior learning, and supporting underrepresented groups.

• Programmes and Module Leaders Teams: Verify that all existing and new programmes align with the School’s EDI strategies, policies, and ethos.

• Resources Team: Maintain accessibility and inclusivity in all School buildings.

• Marketing Team: Ensure all communications:

  • Use inclusive images and content.
  • Follow best practices in accessibility and design.
  • Promote equality and inclusivity whenever possible.

• Student Success Team:

  • Implement this policy fairly and transparently for students.
  • Provide advice and support on equality, diversity, harassment, and bullying issues.

• Teaching and Assessment Team:

  • Promote equality and diversity in teaching and interactions.
  • Ensure course content:
    • Teaches students to identify and challenge discrimination.
    • Helps students understand and value diversity.
    • Avoids sexist, racist, or other discriminatory language and assumptions.
    • Is accessible to students and staff with disabilities.

• People Team:

  • Support the fair implementation of this policy in staff promotions, pay, and workload distribution.
  • Stay updated with relevant legislation.
  • Advise staff on policy issues and support investigations into complaints of policy breaches.

External contractors and service providers must ensure their staff adhere to this policy and all relevant legislation. The Executive Committee is responsible for ensuring that contractors and suppliers are informed about and committed to this policy.

The Board of Governors must:

• Oversee, guide, and monitor the School’s equality and diversity activities.
• Regularly review this Policy to ensure its effectiveness in promoting equality of opportunity.
• Develop and support the implementation of strategies, policies, and activities that advance equality and celebrate diversity across the School.
• Implement the Equality Terms of Reference.
• Ensure equality considerations are integrated into all governance discussions and decisions.

Staff or students with concerns about unlawful discrimination, harassment, or bullying must report them to their personal tutor, line manager, or a member of the Human Resources Team. All reported breaches will be investigated through the appropriate staff or student procedures, with possible disciplinary action if necessary.