Equality and diversity

The University of Northampton is committed to ensuring that all students, staff, visitors, and others we have contact with, are treated fairly and with dignity and respect. We celebrate the diversity of our University (and wider society) and work to ensure that the human rights of all are enhanced and protected.

Statement of Compliance

The following statement has been approved in the context of new legal requirements placed on the University by the Equality Act 2010.

Equality and Diversity: Statement of Compliance

Equality

Equality is about making society fairer, where everyone can fully participate and have the same opportunities to fulfil their potential. Historic injustices and inequalities are recognised and action taken to reverse the effects of them. This is supported by legislation to tackle unlawful discrimination (based on age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, gender and sexual orientation).

There are also legal requirements for all public bodies, including universities, to take positive steps to promote equality of opportunity, ensure non-discrimination, to challenge prejudice and promote positive attitudes to, for example, disability, and where appropriate to undertake positive action.

Equality Objectives

In accordance with the Equality Act, the University is required to publish equality objectives. The draft University objectives are as follows:

• To reduce the gap between the achievement of white students and home BME students in relation to ‘good degrees’
• The University is committed to increase the proportion of disclosed disabled students across all programmes
• To establish and build upon benchmark data on staff in relation to protected characteristics. This is in addition to the data already collected and published
• Raising the cultural awareness of all staff to enhance the student experience and support the internationalisation strategy
• To develop training for staff to ensure that the cultural needs of all students and staff are respected and understood
• Ensure all new staff successfully completed the University’s on-line Equality and Diversity training as part of their probationary period
• Increase consultation and engagement with students from each of the protected characteristics to ensure that their views are reflected.

These objectives are currently being consulted upon with the University community. 

Equality Data

The following page provides access to documents which are required to be published in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Meeting the Requirements of the Equality Act 2010

Diversity

Diversity is about recognising everyone is different in many visible and non-visible ways and respecting and valuing this difference within a human rights and equality framework.

Equality and diversity work at The University of Northampton is the responsibility of all staff and students. The work is led by the Executive Dean (School of Social Sciences) in conjunction with the Director of Student and Academic Services. 

The University of Northampton is pro-active around equality and diversity issues in the following ways:

• By promoting awareness of the University's Harassment and Dignity at Work/Study Policy and ensuring easy ways to report incidents. We will investigate all cases of bullying, 'hate' incidents, or other forms of harassment reported to us and take action as appropriate
• By raising the profile and encouraging debate and research on equality and diversity issues through project work and other activities, for example, an annual week-long Diversity festival, commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day, Black History Month and Lesbian and Gay History month (as examples), and host lectures, conferences and seminars on current issues for equality and diversity
• By supporting those who wish to celebrate religious and other festivals and events
• By ensuring that the education and facilities we provide are accessible, inclusive and non-discriminatory
• By running courses and modules at the University that include covering equality and diversity themes
• By running disabled student and other mentoring schemes
• By assessing what we do for equality impact
• By making equality and diversity training available to all staff

Sector-wide information

The Higher Education Funding Council for England has recently published its approach to equality and diversity. Higher Education Funding Council for England Equality Scheme.

For further information on equality and diversity at The University of Northampton, please contact the Equality and Diversity Officer on 01604 893887.