Equality & Diversity

Equality & Diversity

At UWS we are committed to equality and diversity in all we do. Not only does this have a positive impact on the communities we serve – it also makes great business sense.

Latest progress

Recently we have:

• Become a Stonewall diversity champion, committing to LGBT+-friendly practices

• Signed up to the Listen campaign, tackling discrimination for young people leaving the care system

• Played an active part in the Standing Safe campaign to prevent sexual violence on campus

• Delivered training in equality and unconscious bias to 250 staff

• Hosted campus events to promote inclusion – from World Hijab Day to International Women’s Day.

• Have been awarded the Athena SWAN Bronze charter, recognising our work to advance female representation in science, engineering and technology subjects.

• Published our British Sign Language Plan 2018-2024

• Established a BME Staff Network 

Gender equality

Females make up:

• 60% of our workforce

• 50% of academic and research staff

• 46% of our senior management

We are working hard to reduce our gender pay gap, which is currently at 14.39% This represents a 2.61% reduction since 2017 and a reduction of 7.61% since 2012. This is clearly a positive trajectory and the University remains committed to further reductions through development and implementation of action plans.

Our Gender Action Plan was published in July 2017.

Our long-running series of regular events, Inspiring Women, sees prominent women discuss how they achieved their goals. The highlight is an annual conference with workshops for staff and students.

We are also accredited to the Athena SWAN charter, set up to advance female representation in science, engineering and technology subjects.

Education for all

UWS is recognised as a leader in widening access to higher education from all parts of the community.

• 27.7% of our Scottish-based undergraduate entrants were from the 20% most deprived postcodes in 2017/18

• We are the UK’s number 1 university for accepting students from further education colleges

• Since 2008 we’ve achieved a 43% rise in applications from young people leaving care – and enrolments have increased by 500%

• Read about our work with schools and colleges through our Partnerships.

Our policies

We are an inclusive university. We extend our commitment to everyone – regardless of age, disability, gender identity, pregnancy and maternity, marital status, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

We respect and celebrate diversity. We do not tolerate exclusion, harassment or victimisation. We tackle discrimination and prejudice.

• Read our full equality, diversity and human rights procedure

• Read our equality, diversity and human rights guidance notes

• Read our equality outcomes for 2017, developed in consultation with staff and students

• Read about the progress we have made in mainstreaming equality in our Mainstreaming and Equality Report 2019

• Read our equality impact assessment policy