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Notes of ECU Scottish HEI Liaison Group meeting, 18 June 2015,Glasgow Caledonian University
Attendance
Anwar, Naseem / University of StrathclydeBass, David / Equality Challenge Unit
Boyle, Denise / University of Edinburgh
Caldwell, Fiona / University of Abertay
Caplan, Roz / Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Duncan, Helen / University of the Highlands and Islands
Douglas, Freya / Equality Challenge Unit
Docherty, Edna / University of Stirling
Hanesworth, Pauline / Higher Education Academy
Hill, Anne / University of the West of Scotland
Loke, Gary / Equality Challenge Unit
Lui, Adrian / Glasgow Caledonian University
Marongwe, Priscilla / SRUC
Masson, Muriel / Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
McAnulty, Halena / Scottish Funding Council
Taylor, Mhairi / University of Glasgow
Wallace, Caroline / University of Edinburgh
Wild, Mark / Universities Scotland
Williams, Sheila / University of Edinburgh
Apologies: Sharan Virdee (Heriot Watt), Gail Carin-Levy (QMU), Ajit Trivedi (Dundee), Graeme Duff (Stirling), Ann Duncan (Strathclyde), Janine Chalmers and Christina Cameron (Aberdeen).
1. Welcome and introductions
=ECU welcomed members and thankedGlasgow CaledonianUniversity for hosting the meeting.
2. Notes of last meeting
=The group agreed the draft notes of theMarchmeeting and these will be added to the ECU website.
=ECU updated that it had jointly with HEA written to the chair of the Widening Access Commission to offer information and support on equality and diversity.
3. ECU Briefing paper discussion
Ongoing work
=The governing bodies, equality and diversity research will be published on 30th June. The launch event has attracted over 50 delegates, made up of chairs, governors, secretaries and VPs.
=The group discussed how equality appeared on governing body agendas and cover sheets.
Action: MT to share guidance on equality impact information on court cover sheets
=The competence standards project is ongoing. The guidance will soon be published. A short version of the guidance is being produced for quality leads, with QAA. A webinar for academics with HEA will be delivered by autumn. A live webpage will allow for case studies and examples to be regularly added.
=The articulation and equality project is almost complete; the datasets and briefing will be hosted on SFC’s website.
=The Race Charter pilot is coming to an end. The panels have been held and institutions will hear results soon. A review will be conducted from autumn, looking at the survey element, the structure and application system. The intention is for the charter to be officially launched in 2016.
=Equality in outcome agreements work continues. Review of 2015/16 outcome agreements has been conducted and recommendations made to SFC for encouraging more embedding of equality in the next round of agreements. ECU will publish updated guidance on embedding E&D in agreements in September, to compliment SFC guidance.
=Attracting diversity to Scottish HEIsis almost complete. Dissemination so far has included a workshop at the SFC’s Learning for All and at a Social Mobility Conference at Strathclyde. ECU also provided a workshop on student access and intersectionality at the SFC’s Gender Conference. Case studies will be produced in summer.
=WP and equality statistics andthebenchmarking toolkitare making good progress. These will be published in early autumn.
New programme
=ECU submitted a funding proposal to the SFC for a programme of work in Scotland for 2015-18, and this was accepted.
=In England, there will be no future HEFCE core funding and ECU is moving to a subscription model. In Scotland, institutions will continue to pay for Athena Swan but access to all other resources and projects will remain free.
=ECU sought the group’s input to the development of the programme.
Meeting the Scottish specific duties
=This project will support HEIs to meet the specific duties over the next 3 years.
=The first piece of work will evaluate equality outcomes and mainstreaming reporting in April and produce ‘lessons learned’ guidance or resources.
=The groups were keen for this to consider:
–How reports should look – length, case studies, combined or separate reports
–How to capture mainstreaming – processes used for gathering information and evidence, evidence sources, consultation across large HEIs, roles of individuals in this
–Resource bank of initiatives drawn from mainstreaming reports
–Analyse reporting by PSED aim
–Include care leavers and refugees and asylum seekers
Equality in outcome agreements
=ECU will continue to support the SFC to achieve greater embedding of equality in its outcome agreements.
=ECU will comment on the updated SFC guidance and update its guidance on embedding E&D in agreements for September to compliment this.
=Suggestions included:
–ECU’s guidance be included within the SFC guidance.
–Making the link between outcome agreements and equality outcomes clearer.
Attracting diversity to Scottish HEIs
=This project will be continued into the new funding period (from September) to allow existing participants to continue their work and new institutions to join the project. A longer-term approach will be taken, allowing more time to develop work and see impact. A possible regional approach with colleges is also being explored as an additional option for HEI participants.
=The project will require a cross-functional team and senior management participation. An invitation will be circulated in September. Interested HEIs can discuss the opportunity informally with David Bass in advance.
=Suggestions included:
–Linking with Athena Swan
–Looking at protected characteristics beyond gender
–Linking to retention work to get buy-in
Scotland equality and diversity conference
=A conference for Scottish colleges and HEIs will be held in April 2016. ECU invited suggestions for themes/content.
=Suggestions included:
–Mainstreaming as a key theme, looking across functions
–Athena Swan as a theme
–Keynotes on global equality and diversity
4. HEA update
PH updated the group on recent work including:
=The successful conference delivered jointly with ECU in April. The papers from the conference, and the previous year’s conference will be published in February 2016.
=The HEA contribution to the SQA Personal Development Award on equality and diversity, which the group was introduced to in the afternoon.
=The workshops for incoming student sabbaticals, delivered jointly with sparqs in April. The sabs will be working on embedding E&D in the curriculum in the coming year.
=The publication of five discipline specific guides on embedding equality and diversity in the curriculum, which can be found through the HEA E&D webpages:
=Publication of a trends and perspectives analysis, led by Professor Vicky Gunn of GSA, of E&D in learning and teaching in higher education (LTHE) will be published in the autumn, with responses from ECU and Universities Scotland. It will explore mainstreaming reports, outcome agreements, equality outcomes and ELIR reports for understanding of the current state of play and where future opportunities may lie for E&D in LTHE.
=The publication of discipline specific analyses of retention and success patterns and opportunities, stemming from the HEA commissioned report “Undergraduate retention and attainment across the disciplines”:
=The publication (early 2016) of the outcomes of the HEA Scotland transitions project funding. Some of these projects are E&D and/or widening access related and may be of interest to the group. PH will update closer to the time of publication.
=The HEA has received funding from SFC for 2015-2017. This will primarily fund a strategic enhancement programme (SEP) for HEIs in Scotland. Participating HEIs will receive project-facilitated support for discipline-specific and/or L&T related enhancement initiatives that will contribute to embedding E&D in the curriculum. The programme will yield a guidance report to inform practice across the sector.
=A call for interest will be released in September, but group members can contact PH on . HEA SEP webpages show what type of activity has occurred in similar programmes:
5. Scottish Government’s Scottish National Equality Improvement Project
=FD fed back from the second meeting of the Scottish National Equality Improvement Project (SNEIP), being delivered by Scottish Government to help the public sector better perform the Scottish duties. ECU is involved as representative for the HE/FE sectors.
=This meeting brought together more representatives from across public sectors to identify the key challenges in delivering the duties, with a focus on reporting, and to scope collaborative improvement work across the sectors.
=ECU had been asked to bring delegates. SLG were represented by MM. Jane Norman (VP at Edinburgh and on ECU’s board) and HM from SFC also attended.
=Key issues identified and ideas suggested:
–Knowing what good reporting looks like - do we need a set of principles or template?
–Senior leadership understanding and engagement with E&D – it was proposed that Scottish Government develop external messaging to convey role of leadership and do more internal mainstreaming e.g. in their divisions and Ministers’ directives
–Data/newer PCs/disclosure – a national campaign to encourage disclosure was suggested and development of national equality monitoring questions
–Network of equality networks – was proposed to enable practice sharing
–Portal for sharing practice across sectors
–Map of forums/networks and key contacts for equality
=There will be two more SNEIP events in August and October, with a focus on employee data and occupational segregation.
=A national event/conference will follow in November/December. All will be invited.
=EHRC gave a presentation on their review of Scottish authorities' reporting on specific duties. Initial findings are in the SNEIP update paper.
5. Update – SQA PDA on equality
=Barbara Lawson and Alison Cox gave an update to the group on SQA’s development of a new PDA on equality. This will replace the existing PDA Inclusiveness and PDA for E&D and be available for professional development on equality and diversity in the context of different staff roles from the autumn.
=The group was, in general, supportive of the PDA and gave approval for ECU to use some project monies to part-fund capacity building for delivery of the PDA over the next year.
=It was noted that the new PDA will need to be able to deliver the same level of training in relation to disability needs assessment. It will also need to be endorsed by SAAS for DSA purposes.
Action: ECU circulate the presentation slides for this update. 6. Group discussion
6. Role and use of SLG
=ECU sought the group’s thoughts on how they would like to get the most out of the SLG in future.
=Suggestions included:
–Universities Scotland to provide an update at meetings
–SFC to provide an update at meetings
–Holding training or presentation sessions in the afternoons after meetings
–Each member providing an update at meetings (Chatham House rules)
–Members sharing effective practice on specific areas/themes
–ECU to keep asking for agenda items
–Inviting external speakers to meetings, e.g. Yvonne Strachan, Scottish Government
7. NextSLG meeting
=The next meeting will be on 8th October 2015 at the University of Edinburgh.
=2016 meetings dates will be canvassed for in September.