Coordinators role
The University of Edinburgh is committed to creating an environment where diversity is valued and celebrated.
Developing potential
Everyone should be able to develop to their full potential regardless of any personal characteristic such as; gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religious or philosophical belief, age, socio-economic background, trade union membership, family circumstances or other irrelevant distinction.
Legal and moral responsibility
The University has a legal and moral responsibility to recognise these differences and to ensure that students and staff are treated with equity and fairness and that their individuality is respected and acknowledged in terms of programme or service planning and delivery.
The University has always sought to go further than the minimum legal requirements in embracing diversity and in creating an inclusive culture and welcoming environment.
Removing unfair discrimination
To this end the University is committed to identifying and removing any unfair discrimination facing under represented groups, through our policies, practices and procedures.
The role of Equality and Diversity Coordinator is crucial to achieving this aim. The role will be recognised as part of the “general contribution” for promotion purposes.
Purpose
The overall purpose of the role is to:
- support the mainstreaming and integration of equality and diversity awareness into the day to day activities of their School/Service
- provide assistance and advice to Head of School/Service to promote equality and diversity across the School/Service to both staff and students
- ensure their School/Service is aware of best practice developments in equality and diversity and of changes to relevant legislation
- set local diversity objectives on an annual basis in conjunction with the Head of School/Service.
Specific tasks
Specific tasks associated with the role are to:
- act as the first point of contact and source of local advice on equality and diversity issues and legislation in the wide sense indicated in the first paragraph above
- cascade news of changes to policy and procedures, best practice and developments in euqality and diversity to colleagues and students within their School/Service
- collect feedback from staff and students on equality and diversity issues for discussion at College/Support Group, equality and diversity committees
- support and promote consultation with staff and students on equality and diversity initiatives
- assist of the Equality and Diversity Manager and in conjunction with the Head of School /Service, annually produce local diversity School/Service objectives supported by a local action plan
- meet at least half yearly with Head of School/Service to review the School’s/Service’s progress against objectives
- support their School/Service in developing local monitoring procedures and to report via College Equality and Diversity Committee
- assess School/Service equality and diversity training needs and to work with the Equality and Diversity Manager to suggest local training and development solutions.
This article was published on Oct 13, 2009