What is an EIA?

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) describes an EIA as:

'...the thorough and systematic analysis of a policy or practice to determine whether it has a differential impact on a particular group. It can be seen as a quality control mechanism by which HEIs can evaluate their activities and best meet the needs of their stakeholders. This can lead to better value for money, increased productivity and maximisation of resources leading to a more efficient and effective working and learning environment.' (HEFCE, 2004)

EIAs are planning tools that enable HEIs to build equality into their mainstream mechanisms of policy making, including change management proposals and processes. The former Department for Children, Schools and Families produced an excellent summary of the background to the use of EIAs in the UK. This resource may be useful in explaining the concept of impact assessment to colleagues.