Equality
We are proud of our tradition of commiting ourselves to the widening of access to Higher Education from all sectors of the community and of its record in attracting students from under represented socio-economic backgrounds. The University wishes to build on its existing reputation as an inclusive institution and ensure that it extends its commitment to all, regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation, across all areas of students, staff, campus and community activity.
The University will work to promote understanding and integration between groups of different backgrounds and beliefs and will not tolerate any exclusion, harassment or victimization of students or staff. This means tackling discrimination and prejudice where they are found to exist in the University and tackling the systems, behaviour and attitudes that cause them or sustain them.
The University Strategic plan 2008-2015 sets out our commitment to developing a Single Equality Scheme.
The University will, through the development of this scheme and the mainstreaming of equality in other policies, set out to respect and celebrate diversity because of its value in attracting, motivating and retaining staff and students, its contribution to enrichment of the intellectual environment and of the learning experience of students, and its contribution to the pursuit of equality in the wider community; and will take actions to avoid discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender, race, religion or sexuality.
We aim to do this through the School and Department Strategic Planning process, supported by the work of the Equality and Diversity Adviser and the Department of Human Resources. We are working closely with staff and student groups and with specific projects and initiatives.