The
VC Diversity and Inclusion Fund, an internal funding scheme, was established in
2019 to encourage staff and student engagement with the Equality, Diversity,
and Inclusion agenda at the University.
Each
year, the fund offers small grants (up to £5,000) to initiatives
that increase awareness of issues related to equality, diversity and inclusion,
tackle discrimination and marginalisation, enhance the representation of
under-represented groups, and facilitate implementation of good practice at
Northumbria University.
Applications
are welcome from all colleagues across the University (collaborative
projects between staff and students will also be considered).
Please
visit the VC Diversity and Inclusion page on the Intranet if you are a member of
staff and would like to access more information on the fund.
Below are examples of some of the projects
we supported:
- Broaden My Bookshelf. This
project explored methodologies to diversify Library collections for teaching
and learning. It aimed to increase representation of authors from different
backgrounds, scholarly traditions and cultures, and expose students to a
plurality of narratives and experiences.
- Supporting Standalone Students. This project was to
develop support for Northumbria students studying without a family network,
including students who are care leavers, care experienced, estranged and
orphaned (referred to collectively as standalone students). It was a collaboration between the
student inclusion practitioner for standalone students, NSU VP Education, and
academic staff with interests and experience in support for care
experienced/estranged students.
- ‘Howay in’: Welcoming and celebrating Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen and
Bargee (GTRSB) culture at Northumbria. This project was to host an
innovative and creative programme of events and activities, coinciding with
Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History month, to celebrate and raise awareness of
GTRSB culture, history and contributions amongst staff and students at
Northumbria.
- LGBTQ+ Travel Policy. This
project researched travel advice for LGBTQ+ people travelling internationally.
Using responses from a sector-wide Freedom of Information request, this report
provides analysis and commentary on the extent and adequacy of policies
addressing international travel by LGBTQ+ staff and students in the UK Higher
Education sector.
- EDI Matters Posters led by UCU. This
project was a collaboration between UCU, UNISON and the Student Union. The
campus-wide poster campaign ‘Equality and Diversity Matter’ featured colleagues
and students from across the University explaining why equality and diversity
matters. It aimed to promote and celebrate the diversity that makes Northumbria
special and the necessary drive for equality that makes such diversity
possible.
- The Rainbow Project.
This project was to create an educational interactive resource to raise
awareness of LGBTQ* inclusion for students. The main learning outcome of the
Rainbow Project was to develop Learning and Teaching materials to promote and
embed LGBGTQ+ awareness within the pre-registration curriculum.
