Champion inclusion on your campus

Deconstructing equity, diversity and inclusion, part three: how to create a university where all students and staff feel welcomed and valued

Collection of resources offering advice on fostering inclusion in higher education

As universities strive to improve diversity across higher education, they must also work to ensure all students and staff feel welcomed, seen and heard. This is where inclusion becomes central to the advancement of EDI. This collection of resources offers suggestions for how to create a campus where everyone feels they are represented and respected in teaching environments, research practices and recruitment policies.

It is about ‘people knowing who I am’: reflections on how to guide inclusion work in universities

Advice on using a framework called ‘the Inclusion Compass’ to guide inclusion work within universities, based on a pan-European research project carried out to explore how this could work across higher education

George Koutsouris, Lauren Stentiford , Tricia Nash

University of Exeter

Fostering belonging among diverse students

A student playing the part of a teacher to represent the revolving roles pedagogy

Revolving roles: creating inclusive, engaging, participant-led learning activities

‘Revolving roles’ is a simple, adaptable method for designing learning activities that challenge and change conventional ‘leader’ and ‘participant’ responsibilities, embrace students’ diverse needs, and develop their unique attributes, as Pablo Dalby explains

Pablo Dalby

University of East Anglia

Group of people of various ages and nationalities lean in together

Belonging: why it is the next step on the equity, diversity and inclusion ladder

Belonging feels good, improves student retention rates and supports other EDI efforts. Joanna West offers six ways campuses can foster this intangible essential

Joanna West

University of Luxembourg

Advice on handling individuals' names with respect to create an inclusive learning environment

Say my name: the importance of correct terms, titles and pronunciation

Jane Bryan shares lessons in handling people’s names with respect and sensitivity, ensuring correct use and pronunciation to boost feelings of belonging within institutions

Jane Bryan

The University of Warwick

Image depicting a diverse range of students working together

Making undergraduate access to research experience transparent and inclusive

A barrier to research careers is accessing the relevant experience. Saloni Krishnan and Nura Sidarus outline a scheme that has helped a wider range of undergraduate students secure research placements

Saloni Krishnan, Nura Sidarus

Royal Holloway, University of London

Three immediate changes academics can make to close awarding gaps

Tutors have a responsibility to identify and bridge attainment gaps in their programmes and must work proactively to bring about positive impact for their students

Dean Fido, Louise Wallace

University of Derby

Creating inclusive learning environments

Immediacy cues such as eye contact can be critical tools for professors and lecturers when connecting to higher education students

Immediacy cues are a great starting point for fostering inclusive classes

Both verbal and non-verbal cues, such as pronouncing names correctly, smiling and making eye contact signal to students that they are welcome, respected and valued

Flower Darby

Northern Arizona University

The way university teachers and lecturers speak to first-generation students can make a huge difference to how they get on in higher education

Gatekeepers or greeters? We must demystify university for first-gen students

Stone Meredith gives advice on using positive introductory phrases and how this can help first-generation students navigate university

Stone Meredith

Colorado State University Global

An image representing good conduct online

Digital citizenship: creating safe and inclusive online learning spaces

Digital citizenship, or the ability to use and connect via technology responsibly, is now a vital life skill that educators must foster among students. Vicki Madden explains how to start by creating respectful online environments

Victoria Madden

The University of Edinburgh

Image showing a team helping each other climb the academic ladder

We need to create a tutoring army to level up education

Getting student volunteers to tutor less-privileged children would boost fundamental education for those who need it most and provide a national social mobility service, says Lee Elliot Major

Lee Elliot Major

University of Exeter

Running a diverse team is harder work – but the rewards are immense

John Womersley managed more than 50 nationalities on a €3 billion science project. Here, he reflects on the experience and gives tips on getting the most out of a diverse team

John Womersley

University of Oxford

Supporting inclusion from the top down

University senior management should employ authentic leadership to advance EDI

Managers are so far from the front line; how can they advance EDI?

Authentic leadership involves being clear about one’s values but taking a step back to allow others the space to develop the scope of projects, says Harriet Dunbar-Morris

Harriet Dunbar-Morris

The University of Portsmouth

We need to identify who is missing from the decision-making table in higher education

We need to notice who is missing from the decision-making table – and act

It’s up to individuals to notice who is not present on committees and up to institutions to ensure that all voices are represented and heard

Jo Cresswell

Dr Joanne Cresswell Coaching

Diversity statements in higher education can embed inequality more deeply

Embedding equality, diversity and inclusion within public policy training for academics

Steps higher education institutions can take to make their policy engagement training programmes as diverse and inclusive as possible, based on the experience of a UK university

Audrey Tan

University College London

Young black woman thinking about mathematics problems

Ten ways universities can tackle gender inequality

Ellie Bothwell outlines recommendations from THE’s recent report on how universities around the world are performing on gender equality

Ellie Bothwell

Times Higher Education

Breaking barriers for women: how to build effective parental leave

Seven academics who recently navigated the topsy-turvy world of maternity leave make six recommendations for ensuring motherhood is compatible with academia

Ellie Harrison , Siobhán O’Brien , Tiffany B. Taylor

University of Sheffield, Trinity College Dublin, University of Bath

Serving students with specific needs

hand reading braille

Teaching visually impaired students – and making class materials more accessible for everyone at the same time

Hannah Thompson, a partially blind academic, offers six tips for ensuring an inclusive learning environment

Hannah Thompson

Royal Holloway, University of London

With the right kind of support, university students with mental disabilities can thrive both on campus and in the workplace

We can help students with intellectual disabilities shatter glass ceilings

With the right approach and a strong institutional commitment, students with intellectual disabilities can thrive at university and in the workplace

Meg Grigal, Ann Werbach

University of Massachusetts Boston, InsideTrack

Advice on mentoring and teaching women with disabilities in higher education

Mentoring and teaching women with disabilities in universities

Inclusive teaching and mentoring practices that support women with disabilities to succeed in higher education, while improving access for all students, shared by Molly M. King

Molly M. King

Santa Clara University

Image showing a tree sprouting out of a book representing how learning can foster growh

Universities must take a more holistic approach to social mobility

Financial support is only part of the equation – human and social capital are also crucial for helping students from disadvantaged backgrounds, says Andrew Burke

Andrew Burke

Trinity College Dublin

If we truly want a level playing field, we must focus on social capital

For minoritised students to really benefit from HE, they need support to understand the world of work, build connections and activate networks

Andy Chan, Kristina Francis

Wake Forest University, JFFLabs