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Creating a culture for Strategic EDI Change

This member benefit explores Strategic EDI as an approach that focuses on integrating fairness, justice, and equality into all aspects of an organisation's operations and decision-making processes.

Strategic Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is an approach dedicated to infusing fairness, justice, and equality into every facet of an organisation's operations and decision-making procedures. The primary goal is to cultivate an inclusive and equitable environment that recognises and honours the diversity of all individuals within the organisation. While the aims of Strategic EDI may vary, its outcomes and the potential impact on the organisation are positively correlated with improved decision-making, an inclusive equitable and supportive work/study environment and increases in innovation and growth.

Read our introductory blog here.

This project is relevant to: All members

Job functions: Academics, Learning Designers and Technologists, Employability and Careers Staff, Student Experience, Middle Management and Senior Leaders.

Explore the individual projects

Projects:

Open Doors, Narrow Corridors?

This project explores current efforts to ensure post-entry inclusion of students from widening participation and underrepresented backgrounds, with a focus on fostering community connections, engagement and belonging. 

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Inclusive Leadership InSights

This benefit refers to the skills, knowledge, and behaviours that leaders need to effectively lead diverse teams and foster inclusive cultures. 

Find out more

Inclusive Recruitment

The objective of this project is to enhance diversity in candidate selection by eliminating barriers and biases within the recruitment process. 

Find out more
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Output - Mini-report series

Building on an extensive review of the literature and interviews with practitioners in institutions, this mini-report series uses case studies to explore key themes and provide examples of innovative practices from higher education providers around the world.
Read the report

Output- Interactive Webinar

Date: 13 June 2024
Time: 12:30-14:00 BST
Join us for an interactive webinar, where we will delve into the challenges faced by underrepresented groups and the innovative strategies for promoting inclusivity. With breakout rooms for deeper discussions and sharing of insights, we hope this will be an opportunity to invite member institutions to exchange ideas and foster collaborative conversations.
Book your place

Webinar Speakers

Madiha Sajid

Learning and Development Manager, People and Organisational Development
,
Imperial College London
Madiha Sajid
Madiha is a Fellow of Higher Education Academy, UK and a specialist in Equality, Diversity, & Inclusion. She has more than 15 years of experience in UK Higher Education. She has more than 15 years of experience in UK Higher Education.

Andrea (Andy) Todd

Associate Professor of Active Citizenship
,
University of Chester
Andrea (Andy) Todd
Andy’s research explores the lived experiences of students with parental responsibility and her 2024 report, ‘Student-Parents' experiences of academic and non-academic support in UK Higher Education’ informed the Office for Students’ decision to include student-parents as an at-risk group in the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register.

Robbie Fox

Alumni and staff member
,
University of Bristol
Robbie Fox
Robbie is a University of Bristol alumni and staff member, that has spent the majority of his career managing student facing projects and programmes designed to help students develop skills and take ownership over their next steps. Robbie strongly believes in universities as a catalyst for social mobility and ensuring today’s student have a positive Higher Education experience.

Lead

Robiu Salisu

Senior Consultant, EDI
,
Advance HE
Photo of Advance HE consultant, Robiu Salisu
Robiu Salisu is a Senior Consultant, EDI at Advance HE and has demonstrable experience in delivering training and insights on a variety of topics including; Belonging, Inclusive Leadership, Student-Staff Engagement and Partnership, Freedom of Speech and Community Cohesion.
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Output - Vlogs

The inclusive leadership vlog series explores with leaders why they think inclusive leadership is important, how they practice the principles, and the impact of and outcomes of this work.
Access the first 5 vlogs, with 2 more to be published in due course.
Find out more

Output - Inclusive Leadership Review

The vlogs will be accompanied by a short paper that explores the principles for inclusive leadership from around the globe, what is meant by inclusive leadership, the skills and competencies, and draws on practice from other sectors.

Lead

Baljit Birring

Senior Consultant, EDI
,
Advance HE
Baljit
Baljit Birring is a Senior Consultant for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at Advance HE. She is creative and focused on her commitment to and passion for challenging established practices which sustain inequity, championing equality, diversity and inclusion to improve outcomes.

Ellen Pugh

Senior Consultant, EDI
,
Advance HE
Ellen Pugh
Ellen Pugh is a Senior Consultant in equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) for Advance HE, specialising in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Ellen has worked to promote EDI in the HE and FE sector since 2004 both nationally and internationally. She previously managed the Equality Challenge Unit’s policy team and has worked as Policy Director at Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities (now Disability Rights UK) and in the governance division at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
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Output - Written paper

This paper conceptualises inclusive recruitment as a journey rather than an event and identifies key milestones and stakeholders needed for an overarching approach that fosters inclusivity.
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Output - Online peer exchange event

This event took place on 5 June 2024.

This virtual event is built on the Inclusive Recruitment Colloquium 2023. The event will provide you with an overview of inclusive practice for each stage of the staff recruitment process from defining the role to onboarding. There will be an opportunity for Q&A at the end of the session.

Lead

Niema Bohrayba Chartered FCIPD

Senior Consultant, EDI
,
Advance HE
Niema Bohrayba Chartered FCIPD is Senior Consultant at Advance HE. She has almost 20 years' experience in developing, delivering and embedding Leadership, HR and EDI programmes and strategies within complex, multi-site organisations.
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Discover more from Advance HE

The Knowledge Hub, our eNewsletters and Advance HE Connect are great ways to keep up-to-date on the work of Advance HE.

Knowledge Hub

The Advance HE Knowledge Hub brings together thousands of higher education resources covering a wide range of topics and themes all into one place. Search by keyword or use the search filters on theme, sub theme and content type to find resources relevant to you.

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An Advance HE member benefit

Member Projects are part of Advance HE's member benefits for the 2023-24 membership year. Click below to see the full range of benefits available.

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