Equality Act 2010: Equality and Diversity at Anglia Ruskin University
Statement of purpose
The Equality Act 2010 places a general duty on public authorities to have due regard to eliminating unlawful discrimination in all its activities, and specifically, to:
· Eliminate unlawful discrimination, victimisation and harassment
· Advance equality of opportunity
· Foster good relations between people from different groups
The specific public sector equality duties require public authorities to
· Publish information demonstrating compliance with the equality duty. This must include information relating to persons who share a relevant protected characteristic who are employees (for institutions with 150 or more staff) and others affected by their policies and practices, such as students. This must be by 31 January 2012 and annually thereafter.
· Prepare and publish one or more specific and measurable equality objectives. This must be by 6th April 2012 and at least every four years.
This report provides information about how we are working to ensure we fulfil the general duties of the Equality Act 2010. Its publication helps us fulfil the first of our specific duties.
This document is organised as follows:
Introduction: About Anglia Ruskin University
General Duty 1: Eliminate unlawful discrimination, victimisation and harassment
Policies and practices: staff
Policies and practices: students
General Duty 2: Advance equality of opportunity
Equality of opportunity: staff
Equality of opportunity: students
General Duty 3: Foster good relations between people from different groups
Good relations: staff
Good relations: students
Appendix 1: Staff recruitment statistics
Appendix 2: Staff demographics
A. Progress towards employment targets
B. Other staff demographics
Appendix 3: Staff Opinion Survey 2011 – equality profile of survey respondents
Appendix 4: Student statistics for the academic year 2010/11
Appendix 5: Headline National Student Survey results by equality factor
Introduction: About Anglia Ruskin University
Anglia Ruskin University was awarded university status in 1992. Today, with a student population of approximately 30,000, we are one of the largest universities in the East of England. We currently have over 9000 students studying with us on a part-time basis, which makes us one of the leading university providers of face-to-face, part-time higher education in the UK. An increasing number of overseas students, from more than 70 different countries outside the EU, choose to study with us, at undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research levels. This has created a very diverse academic community for the benefit of all our students.
Our students are on courses leading to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, as well as to a range of professional qualifications. In addition to being one of the most significant suppliers of nurses and teachers to East of England, we offer an ever expanding range of contemporary courses designed to meet the needs of the individual and the requirements of a knowledge-based economy.
We have campuses in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Harlow, King’s Lynn and Peterborough. Our overseas university partnerships include China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, India, USA and Canada. Our largest international partnership is in Trinidad, where we deliver higher-level education to over 1,500 students.
Over 97% of our students come from state schools.
We also take pride in making international students feel at home: we were ranked among the top 3 in the UK for our Welcome, Arrival and Orientation Programme for new international students in the autumn 2010 International Student Barometer, an independent survey of current international students at UK universities.
Our vision and values articulate our aspirations in everything we do:
Vision
· We are passionate about the advancement of knowledge and the education of students.
· We take university education in imaginative new directions.
· We are important to the region and want to be viewed in the UK and internationally as exceptional.
· Our key contribution is to the enhancement of social, cultural and economic wellbeing.
Values
· A sense of belonging. We are proud to be part of Anglia Ruskin University. We know that lifelong relationships are formed here.
· Academic ambition. We want our teaching and research to be excellent. We are determined that our students and staff will realise their full potential.
· Innovation. We are purposeful, challenging and curious about our world. We are prepared to do things differently. We are creative, entrepreneurial and bring enthusiasm to everything we do.
· Supporting each other. We are friendly and inclusive, and celebrate individuality and diversity. We support and encourage everyone, and strive hard to anticipate and meet needs and aspirations.
· Honesty and openness. We operate with integrity, trust and respect for each other and we deliver on our promises. We share ideas, information and challenges and we seek out views and opinions.
· Concern for the environment. We want our concern for a sustainable environment to inform every aspect of what we do.
General Duty 1: Eliminate unlawful discrimination, victimisation and harassment
Policies and practices: staff
Since our incorporation we have had Equal Opportunities policies, broadened in 2001 to include a wider framework of equality policies. All these policies were reviewed and re-approved by our Board of Governors in 2010 in anticipation of the Equality Act 2010. Our framework of equality policies can be found at http://web.anglia.ac.uk/equalops/policies.phtml
Among these policies is our Dignity and Work and Study Policy and Procedures for Staff and Students, which was first approved in 2001 with two subsequent revisions, most recently in 2010. This policy explains what is and – importantly – what is not considered acceptable behaviour, and includes procedural guidance for staff and students if they experience harassment or bullying at work and study. It is communicated to staff through a variety of methods including our web site, Employment Guide, staff opinion surveys, a short booklet entitled Treating People with Dignity Courtesy and Respect issued to new staff on appointment, and at Induction Conferences for new staff. Our periodic staff opinion surveys help us to monitor the effectiveness of this policy. Please see the shaded case study, below.
Since 2006 we have conducted equality monitoring of job applicants in respect of gender, race, disability, sexuality, religion or belief, and age. Over 90% of applicants provide equality monitoring data in these areas. Please see Appendix 1 for our recruitment statistics.
In 2010 we undertook an e-quality audit commissioned from the Employers Forum on Age (now the Employers Forum on Equality and Inclusion – ENEI), which measured our equality performance as an employer against six protected characteristics, in which we achieved a Silver rating.
We have updated our Equality Impact Assessment form to include the additional protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act 2010. These are carried out as policies are adopted or reviewed, normally on a three-yearly cycle. Previously published Equality Impact Assessments can be found at: http://web.anglia.ac.uk/equalops/guidance.phtml
Staff opinion surveys
We have conducted periodic staff opinion surveys since 1999 at approximately two-yearly intervals, publishing the corporate findings on our intranet. These surveys include equality monitoring questions, enabling responses to be analysed by gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, religion, and age band. For an equality profile of respondents in 2011, please see Appendix 3.
Since 2006 we have sought information about staff experiences of bullying and harassment. Both behaviours are identified as unacceptable in our Dignity at Work and Study policy and procedures. We have made clear distinctions between bullying and firm but fair management; however, it’s our perception that the line between the two can seem blurred in times of organisational change.
In our 2011 staff survey, 90% of respondents replied that we fulfil our responsibilities in respect of equality and diversity either ‘very well’ or ‘well enough’. There is some variation when analysed by equality factor, although when analysed by gender there was less than a percentage point of difference.
The percentage of respondents who said they had personally been harassed or bullied at work during the previous two years has fallen by several percentage points since 2006. Nearly 50% of those who responded ‘yes’ or ‘not sure’ said that these behaviours had now stopped. This too is an improvement on previous years, though there is some variation when analysed by equality factor. We will be working to better understand whether the unacceptable behaviours mentioned by respondents are perpetrated by peers, managers, students, and/or others including visitors, or during previous employment.
Overall, the findings were positive. There was some variation when analysed by equality factor, but overall, 73.9% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they would recommend us to family and friends as a good place to work.
Staff grievances and disciplinary actions
From 1 September 2010 – 1 September 2011, eight disciplinary hearings have been held, and ten members of staff have raised grievances. Of these grievances, three have been raised regarding alleged harassment / bullying. Statistical breakdown by equality factors would be unreliable and would also enable identification of individuals.
Staff training
Chairs of staff recruitment and selection panels have been required to undertake equality training in preparation for that role, and to receive refresher training at 3-yearly intervals. This has been a requirement for over 11 years in respect of chairs, and 3 years in respect of other members.
In 2010 successful completion of our Diversity e-learning module became mandatory for all staff employed at Grade 4 and above. By December 2010 over 84% of these staff had successfully completed this programme against an HR Strategy target of 75%. All new members of staff are required to attend a staff Induction Conference, which includes an introductory session, Equality and Diversity at Work.
Policies and practices: students
Student behavioural expectations are clearly articulated in our Dignity at Work and Study Policy and Procedures for Staff and Students, mentioned above; in our Student Rules and Regulations; and in our widely publicised Student Charter, available at: http://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/students/documents/2011/Student_Charter_August2011.pdf
We work closely with the Anglia Ruskin Students Union. The Students Union publish a leaflet, Dignity at Study, which helps to raise additional awareness of the aforementioned Dignity at Work and Study policy and procedures. Elected Officers from the Students Union also sit on many University committees including the Equality and Diversity Group and the University Disability Working Group.
Secretaries of all Student Union clubs and societies are expected to attend the Students Union’s Equality and Diversity Forum to help ensure the Students Union works to cater for all students equally.
General Duty 2: Advance equality of opportunity
Equality of opportunity: staff
We have been Positive about Disabled People symbol users since 2001. As part of this programme, we operate a Job Interview Guarantee Scheme in our recruitment and selection practices. The impact of this is reflected in our recruitment statistics shown in Appendix 1.
In 2004 we were the first UK University to join Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme. In 2008 we joined the Mindful Employer scheme to assist us in learning about mental health issues in the workplace. Copies of Mindful Employer’s self-help publication, Feeling Stressed: Keeping Well, is provided at staff Induction Conferences.
We have had a flexible working scheme in place since 2001. The scheme continues to exceed current legislative requirements as it is open to all staff regardless of their personal circumstances and caring responsibilities. This scheme and its impact won us the Opportunity Now Education Sector award in 2004.
Our Women’s Network was established in the mid-1990s and has achieved national recognition. This has been concurrent with our membership in Opportunity Now (then Opportunity 2000) which works for gender equality in the workplace. In 2006 we were selected as a participant in the Government’s Exemplar Employer initiative on the strength of our gender equality work. Our staff opinion surveys regularly indicate high levels of positive responses in respect of how well we are fulfilling our equality and diversity responsibilities, from female staff in particular. This appears to be the case when the other equality strands are cross-analysed by gender.
Since 2001 we have set ourselves challenging employment equality targets in respect of gender, disability and ethnicity, renewed approximately every three years. Our most recent targets were approved in 2009 for the period until 1 September 2011. Progress against these targets is shown in Appendix 2.
Equality of opportunity: students
Student Services provides a range of academic guidance and professional services, including careers and personal and counselling support services. Our student advisers provide financial aid and impartial advice, as well as practical help with managing money, for example: welfare loans, support to access charitable and trust monies, and a range of money management and cooking workshops.
Student achievement rates
Our student statistics relating to overall student demographics, withdrawal rates, and student achievement rates, analysed by gender, ethnicity, disability and age group, are published in Appendix 4. We have also analysed our National Student Survey (NSS) results by gender, ethnicity, disability and age group with variations from Anglia Ruskin averages. These are shown in Appendix 5.
Due to low numbers of students from certain ethnicities we have grouped our statistics to show the differences between students from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, and students from white backgrounds.
Disabled students
The Study Support Service, part of Student Services, provides services, support and advice for disabled students (including dyslexic students) and study skills support for all students.
We support students who are blind or partially sighted, deaf or hard of hearing, wheelchair users or have other mobility difficulties, dyslexic, dyspraxic, within the autistic spectrum or have Aspergers syndrome, mental health difficulties, unseen conditions such as epilepsy or a combination of these. This list is illustrative rather than exhaustive, and students are encouraged to discuss their circumstances with Study Support advisers.
During the 2010/11 academic year, 1418 students with a disability were registered with the Study Support Service. Of these, 229 had indicated ‘no disability’ on SITS (the student information system); 459 have a course start year of 2010/11; 33 are at locations other than the main campuses; 123 are non-British.