Equality, diversity and inclusion
We are committed to elevating the importance of issues of equality, diversity, and inclusion for all members of our community.
We promote an inclusive, fair, respectful culture
Everyone, staff or student, should be able to develop to their full potential. The School seeks to promote an inclusive, fair, respectful culture and a safe and welcoming environment in which all staff and students can flourish. The School is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion to ensure that all staff, students and visitors to the University can be confident that they will be treated with dignity and respect.
We are committed to addressing any unfair practices, including those that may be experienced in relation to age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or beyond this national origin or migrant status, socio-economic background, trade union membership, or family circumstances.
The promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to our understanding of good governance and management practices, and this principle supports the School to achieve its priorities and outcomes.
As a School, we recognise the importance of diverse learning communities and we recognise our collective responsiblity to challenge any form of discrimination or harassment. We see it as especially important to find ways to embed inclusivity into the daily working and learning of staff and students. Our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee is aimed at taking these objectives forward.
In Teacher Education we are committed to social justice, inclusivity, diversity and accessibility.
- We commit to raising the profile and importance of race equality and diversity, planning partnership activities to address and take forward key aspects of this work through the Teacher Partnerships Board.
- We commit to supporting an applicant accepted onto a PGDE Primary programme from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BME) background through the Saroj Lal scholarship.
- We commit to reviewing our staff recruitment approach and process, to ensure our staffing profile reflects our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).
- We commit to supporting staff in their professional learning around issues of EDI.
- We commit to reviewing recruitment, selection and admissions processes to ensure minority ethnic applicants are encouraged and enabled to apply and we aim to remove any institutional barriers that may deter applicants.
- We commit to looking into the development of outreach projects, community engagement, and networks for BME students and staff.
- We commit to decolonising the curriculum and introducing anti-racist education within our ITE programmes.
See the blog series from our Center for Education for Racial Equality in Scotland (CERES)
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee: An introduction
The purpose of the EDI committee is to:
- remain abreast of Equality and Diversity guidance, initiatives and policy at College and University level.
- report to and advise the School Executive Committee on Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion matters, including progress on related actions within the School Strategic action plan, progress of the Athena Swan action plan, and progress on other subgroups of the committee.
- take proactive steps to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion across the School and ensure that all members of our community are treated fairly.
- identify and deliver actions to support the facilitation of an inclusive culture for all staff, ensuring equal access to opportunities.
- make recommendations on staff development that equip staff with the skills to challenge inequality and discrimination in the work/study environment.
- ensure that any learning materials do not discriminate against individuals or groups via representation on the School Learning and Teaching Committee.
- ensure that School processes and procedures do not discriminate by reviewing identified issues and proposing recommendations to the School Executive Committee on how these can be remedied.
- ensure that student voice is represented on the committee.
The School Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee is committed to:
- elevating the importance of issues of equality, diversity, and inclusion for all members of our community.
- advancing equality across all the protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act 2010 (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation).
- working to identify and address issues of systemic discrimination and raise awareness around these issues, in particular those impacting the daily experiences of historically marginalised groups.
- supporting an environment in which all staff and students are treated with dignity and respect.
The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee is made up of staff and students from different areas of MHSES, with an interest and expertise in these issues. The Committee ensures that equality and diversity is embedded in everything we do from student admissions and staff recruitment processes and decisions to access for all to the resources within the School.
The Committee is responsible for monitoring of the School Athena Swan Action Plan and providing recommendations and the provision of support for future applications. The Committee currently has three subgroups, the Gender Equality Subgroup, the Inclusion and Disability Subgroup and the Race Equality Subgroup.
The EDI Committee reports to the School Executive Committee, the CAHSS Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, and the University's Equality Management Group, through the Committee Director.
Committee Director: Dr Omolabake Fakunle
Decolonising the Curriculum in HE
Meet your EDI representatives
| Name | School role | Committee role |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Omolabake Fakunle | Chancellor's Fellow | Committee director |
| Pauline Patel | Senior Management Team Administrator | Committee support |
| Nicola Davidson | Director of Professional Services | Committee member |
| Dr Andrew Horrell |
Director of Undergraduate Studies / Senior Lecturer in Physical Education |
Committee member |
| Dr Kenneth Fordyce | Director of Internationalisation | Committee member |
|
RKEI Directorate |
Committee member | |
|
Head Student Experience |
Committee member | |
|
SPEHS Representative - Martine Verheul |
Committee member | |
| Rachel O’Neil | Disability Subgroup Lead | Committee member |
| Dr Maryam Almohammad | Institute representative (LE) | Committee member |
| Dr Jack Lee | Institute representative (ECS) | Committee member |
| Henry Gray | Student representative | Committee member |
|
ETL Representative |
Committee member |
|
| Gender Equality Subgroup Lead | Commitee Member | |
| Omolabake Fakunle | Race Equality Subgroup Lead | Committee Member |
|
College Senior HR Partner |
| Name | School role | Committee role |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Manager | Committee chair | |
| Pauline Patel | SMT Administrator/ Professional Services | Committee support |
| Student Adviser | Committee member | |
| Director of Quality Assurance and Enhancement | Committee member | |
| David Watkins | Academic Coordinator (Work Based Placements) / Teaching Fellow | Committee member |
| Christina Greig | Student Representative |
Committee member |
| Dr Farah Akbar |
Deputy Head of Institute for Language Education (ILE) / Lecturer in Language Education |
Committee member |
| Associate tutor, Institute for Language Education | Committee member |
| Name | School role | Committee role |
|---|---|---|
| Rachel O’Neill | Senior Lecturer /ETL | Committee chair |
| Audrey Cameron | Chancellor's Fellow (Science Education and BSL) | Committee member |
| Facilities manager | Committee member | |
| Lindsey Horner | Academic Coordinator of Adjustments and Accessible Learning / Lecturer in Education in International Development | Committee member |
| Jing Hu | Student representative | Committee member |
| Student Adviser | Committee member | |
| Academic staff | Committee member |
| Name | School role | Committee role |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Omolabake Fakunle | Chancellor's Fellow | Committee chair |
| Dr Andrew Horrell | Director of Undergraduate Studies / Senior Lecturer in Physical Education | Committee member |
|
Director of Teacher Education/Senior Lecturer Educational Leadership and Learning |
Committee member | |
| Dr Jingyi Li | Programme Director for MSc Education and RIGEN member | Committee member |
| Student Adviser | Committee member | |
| Professional Services Project Officer | Committee member | |
| Jingwen Ni | Student representative | Committee member |
Resources for staff and students
Student Experience and Support Office
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) throughout the University of Edinburgh