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Equalitylink November 2009
November's bulletin keeping you up to date with current equality and diversity news and the work of ECU
Welcome
Equality Challenge Unit supports the higher education sector to promote equality and diversity for all staff and students. Equalitylink is a monthly bulletin keeping you up to date with current equality and diversity issues and with the work of ECU.
Equality update
Recent developments with implications for higher
education institutions
Gender equality
UK falls in world rankings
The World Economic Forum reports that, although the UK offers good educational opportunities for women, there has been little or no progress in gender equality.
The report sees the UK slipping down the international rankings for closing the gap between men and women in a number of areas including wage equality and the number of women in senior positions in business and politics.
ECU's 2009 Equality in Higher Education report found that numbers of women in senior roles in higher education were increasing, but at such a slow rate of change that it could take another 33 years for men and women to be represented equally at this level.
Default retirement age
Consultation now open
The government has begun collecting evidence to feed into the review of the default retirement age (DRA) taking place next year.
ECU believes the DRA is an unacceptable form of age discrimination which reinforces ageist attitudes by linking age with assumptions about capability and value of staff contribution. ECU will therefore be submitting evidence to support the removal of the DRA.
ECU recognises that institutions with a DRA may have concerns about removing it. We will be working with the sector in 2010 to advise institutions about the benefits of removing a DRA and to help in managing this process.
We would encourage individual institutions to participate in the government consultation and submit evidence of their own experiences. The closing date is 1 February 2010.
Higher Ambitions
Government calls for more inclusive HE
On 3 November 2009 the government unveiled a framework for the future of higher education. Higher Ambitions: The future of universities in a knowledge economy outlines the government's plans to:
- Ensure access to higher education for people who have the ability to benefit from it
- Support universities in making a bigger contribution to economic recovery and future growth
- Strengthen the research capacity of universities
- Promote excellence in teaching and services for students
- Strengthen the role of universities in communities - local, national and international
- Ensure that universities continue to maintain excellence under tighter public financial constraints
Religion and belief regulations
Environmental concerns judged to be a philosophical belief
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has ruled that an employee's belief on climate change can be classed as a philosophical belief, protected under the Employment Equality (religion or belief) Regulations 2003.
The EAT found that political philosophies might also qualify, but not, for example, one which is racist or homophobic.
Environmental concerns judged to be a philosophical belief
Implementing reasonable adjustments
New ruling in Coleman v Attridge Law
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has reaffirmed that the duty to implement reasonable adjustments in employment only applies to employees who are themselves disabled. The duty does not extend to disabled associates of employees.
Human rights
EHRC publish human rights strategy
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched a strategy to protect and promote respect for human rights principles. The strategy aims to promote understanding of human rights legislation and demonstrate the value of human rights laws in people's everyday lives.
Our work
Supporting the higher education sector to promote
equality and diversity
HEFCW confirm funding
The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales has confirmed that it will continue to fund ECU for a further five years, until 2015. This announcement follows a successful review of ECU carried out on behalf of the higher education funding bodies.
Supporting women's mentoring initiatives
Women are underrepresented in senior roles in higher education (HE), currently only 18.7% of professors or heads of department are women. Mentoring has been widely acclaimed as a catalyst for change in the public as well as the private sector but there is very little research on its impact on women's career progression and the factors necessary for its success in the HE sector.
ECU's new mentoring project will establish effective practice on how to run women's mentoring programmes in HE, supporting higher education institutions (HEIs) to set up new, or develop existing, mentoring programmes for female staff. The project will also help HEIs improve their understanding of the impact of mentoring initiatives.
To inform the development of guidance, ECU is conducting a brief survey of the sector. Please visit our website for further details:
Supporting women's mentoring initiatives
Religious observance in HE
Facilities and services
ECU has now published the second in our series of briefings about practical issues that arise on campus relating to religion or belief.
This briefing, which includes case studies from different HEIs, specifically discusses the provision of facilities and services from a religion and belief perspective. It features examples of targeted services for particular religions or beliefs provided by some HEIs. It also discusses institutions' responsibilities for ensuring that facilities and services do not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of religion or belief.
Religious observance in HE: facilities and services
Inclusive building design
Guidance on new builds and refurbishment
ECU has been working in partnership with CUBO (Association of College and University Business Officers) and AUDE (Association of University Directors of Estates) to develop guidance on promoting inclusive practice in building design and refurbishment in HE.
The guidance outlines a process that will ensure inclusive design and compliance issues are taken into consideration at all stages of development, and highlights current good practice.
This equality briefing and process checklist is relevant to all those connected to commissioning and developing buildings or who have responsibility for refurbishment of building on campus.
Managing inclusive building design for HE: equality briefing and process checklist
Staff and student equality surveys
ECU call out for 'critical readers'
Increasingly, HEIs are using equality surveys to supplement equality monitoring data and provide a more practical picture of equality issues facing staff and students.
ECU is in the process of drafting new guidance about the benefits and delivery of equality surveys within HEIs. This guidance will discuss, for example, different models for conducting an equality survey, as well as ways to maximise survey response rates.
We are now looking for a small number of colleagues from around five or six HEIs to act as 'critical readers' for draft versions of this publication.
Further details can be found here:
Staff and student equality surveys
Equality Bill
Response to Welsh Assembly
ECU has submitted its response to the Welsh Assembly 'listening exercise' on the proposed public duties in the Equality Bill.
Thanks to all the HEIs who attended our Swansea Equality Bill event and to all others who informed our response. You can read our submission online:
Equality Bill: response to Welsh Assembly
Staff disclosure
Presentations from our successful event
ECU held a successful and well-attended event in October discussing the issues around collecting and using staff equality data.
You can now download presentations from the event:
ECU has also published practical advice for HEIs on encouraging and enabling staff members to disclose equality-related data such as gender, ethnic origin, disability status, sexual orientation, religion or belief, or age.
Developing staff disclosure: a guide to collecting and using equality data
Read more about ECU work and ongoing projects on our website www.ecu.ac.uk/projects.
Get involved
How to take part in ECU’s work
Chief Executive
Applications invited for head of ECU
The application process for the role of Chief Executive of ECU has now opened.
You can find full details, including information about how to apply, on our website:
2010 programme
ECU would like to hear about your experiences and examples of inclusive practice for a number of new projects and briefings for 2010
Managing procurement
Promoting equality in procurement policies
ECU is gathering HEIs' experiences of building equality promoting strategies into their procurement policies and practices, with a view to sharing these with the sector. We would like to receive examples of:
- Institutional, central and local procurement policies, and how these form part of a broader institutional commitment to equality
- Procurement processes, showing how equality issues are built into the different stages of the procurement cycle
- Procurement agreements with external private providers that entrench equality principles
The closing date for submissions is Friday 11 December 2009. Follow the link below for details of how to share your experiences:
LGBT experience in HE
To help the sector tackle homophobia and increase the support it provides for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) staff and students, ECU is producing a briefing covering the issues raised by our research released earlier this year.
The briefing will provide simple steps that HEIs can take, signpost existing guidance and feature examples of innovative practice from HEIs. If your HEI has adopted inclusive practice towards LGBT staff and students, we would like to feature your work as a case study in the briefing.
We are seeking examples of effective practice in the following areas:
- Recognising and tackling homophobia through policies and practice
- Raising LGBT visibility
- Tackling homophobia in halls
- Developing and delivering sexual orientation equality training
- Monitoring the experience of LGBT staff and students
- Supporting staff and student networks
- Supporting estranged students
The closing date for submissions is Thursday 3 December 2009.
Equality impact assessments
Admissions
ECU is interested in hearing from HEIs who have conducted, or are in the process of conducting, equality impact assessments on admissions policies, practices and procedures.
The information provided will be used to develop anonymous case studies and guidance for the sector. If your HEI has not completed a full impact assessment but you would like to share your experiences to date, we would still be interested in hearing from you.
The closing date for submissions is 25 November 2009.
Religion and belief and sexual orientation
LLUK research survey goes live
ECU is working with Lifelong Learning UK who are undertaking research to develop better understanding and good practice in managing the relationship between sexual orientation and religion and belief across post-16 education.
HE staff and students are being invited to complete a short online survey:
The researchers would also like to hold interviews with staff and students who are willing to share their thoughts and experiences of the relationship between sexual orientation and religion and belief.
Contact the research lead, Phil Barnett, to take part.
Further information about the project can be found on the LLUK website:
Managing equality: sexual orientation and faith or belief
Resources and support
New publications and resources to support equality
and diversity in your institution
heidi equality
Training on how to use heidi equality
The heidi equality data tool, created by ECU and HESA, allows users to easily access relevant equality data, covering both staff and students, in a useful and targeted format. For information about what you can do using heidi equality, see ECU's briefing:
ECU and HESA have also developed a new one-day training seminar on using heidi equality for equality practitioners and others who use equality data. The seminars will be practical with the chance to use the system to generate reports and analyse and compare the equality performance of individual HEIs. By the end of the session delegates will be ready to start working with heidi equality when they get back to their own institutions.
The dates of the seminars are:
- 20 January 2010, Cheltenham
- 3 February 2010, Leeds
- 8 February 2010, London
Equality Bill: implications for students' unions
A briefing summarising some key implications for students' unions of the forthcoming Equality Bill. With information useful for students' union staff and officers with responsibility for human resources, student activities and liberation. Developed in partnership with the National Union of Students and the Association for Managers in Students' Unions.
Equality Bill: implications for students' unions
Athena SWAN awards 2009
Details of the work carried out by the Athena SWAN 2009 award winners to promote and recognise good employment practice for universities and research institutes recruiting and promoting women to senior positions in science, technology, engineering, medicine and mathematics departments.
Events
Upcoming sector events
Skill Annual Higher Education conference
Students with unseen impairments and employability
1 December 2009, Manchester
This annual event updates UK staff in HE on policy and practice in relation to planning and delivering services for disabled students. The key themes to be covered in the conference include students with hidden impairments/disabilities and employability. Other issues to be covered will be the Equality Bill and the HEFCE review.
SPA National conference
Application and transition to higher education: reflection, change and looking forward
3 December 2009, Glasgow
The Supporting Professionalism in Admissions national conference will explore and reflect on policy throughout the UK and the impact recent decisions have had upon admissions to higher education.
heidi equality training
20 January 2010, Cheltenham
2 February 2010, Leeds
8 February 2010, London
Interactive introduction to heidi equality. Find out about the data available to support your equality work and how to use it. Developed by ECU and HESA.
See the Resources and support section above for more information about these sessions.
Athena Forum: Post Docs signposting STEMM careers initiative launch
19 January 2010, London
Early career staff in university STEMM departments need objective advice on research and academic career pathways. There is a dearth of accessible, useful and practical advice for individuals starting their careers, and the guide launched at this event aims to fill that gap.
Contact Robert Ditchfield for a programme and to register
Equalitylink will return in January 2010
If you would like your event to be featured on our website and the next issue of EqualityLink, please email details to Anna Roberts, Communications Manager.
Contacts
ECU Press Office
Anna Roberts Allison
Communications Manager
Telephone: 020 7438 1018
Email: anna.robertsallison@ecu.ac.uk
Out of Office enquiries
For urgent media enquiries outside of ECU office hours
Mobile: 07810 556 724