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Governance

The equalities agenda is embedded in the College's decision-making structure, through the work of the Equality and Diversity Committee, which reports to the College Governors via the Finance and General Purposes Committee. The Committee also reports to the HR Strategy and Policy Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee to ensure awareness of equality and diversity issues at strategic level across the College.

The Committee has a strategic overview of staff and student equality and diversity issues, with a broad remit. The Committee supports and champions equality and diversity across the College - its members are from all Schools and include student and trade union representatives.

The College publishes a comprehensive annual statistical equality and diversity report, setting out key equality data in line with the public sector equality duty. The report contributes to Birkbeck’s evidence-based policy making and enables it to identify and action areas for further improvement, inform the setting of indicators for the existing equality objectives, and consider what additional objectives should be identified.

Birkbeck's Equality Objectives (2017-23)

  • Objective 1: Build an inclusive place to work, by developing a culture in which equality, diversity and inclusion are embedded and mainstreamed into all aspects of Birkbeck life.
  • Objective 2: Build workforce diversity, through supporting diversity and equality among our community of staff, by identifying and investing in talent at all levels, and advancing equality of opportunity in employment, retention and development.
  • Objective 3: Provide an inclusive educational experience and learning environment for all students. This will involve ensuring that we have a challenging and inclusive curriculum, assessment that is rigorous but attuned to the experiences and needs of our student body, and provide a learning environment and student support services which improve student retention and enhance student attainment.
  • Objective 4: Establish new governance frameworks and mechanisms whereby performance against the College’s agreed Equality Objectives and actions are monitored and owned (accountability). This will also enable further analysis and targeted interventions to be undertaken where sufficient progress is not being made.
The equality objectives are being reviewed to ensure these articulate what the college wants to achieve and to ensure these clearly link to the college's strategic aims at institutional level as articulated in the Vision 2021-26 Corporate Strategy.

Assistant Deans, Equalities

The Assistant Deans for Equalities provide leadership on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) issues, supporting and facilitating the development, progression, promotion and embedding of institution-wide and local equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives. If you would like to contact one of the Assistant Deans for Equalities, their contact details are below: