Governance

Northumbria University has a strong commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion and this is reflected in our governance and management arrangements. 

Our approach to delivering our EDI agenda necessarily combines wide staff engagement, network support, and programme delivery, overseen by Executive leadership and Board level security. 

Responsibility for overseeing, monitoring and reporting on the progress of EDI matters lies with the EDI Committee which is chaired by Professor Andy Long, the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Northumbria University, and is supported by four Equality Forums for Gender, Disability, LGBTQ+ and Race Equality.

The EDI governance structure is below:

Each focus area of inclusion at Northumbria has a Senior Sponsor. Senior Sponsors are members of the University Senior Leadership Group who willingly give their support, time and commitment to an area of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). 

Senior Sponsors are expected to be active in their support for inclusion and will be required to help to give EDI the visibility it requires at the University to make change happen. As a significant supporter for the inclusion agenda, sponsors will be willing to have challenging conversations on behalf of, and in support of, individuals from underrepresented groups.  

• The Senior Sponsor for Gender Equality is Dr Heather Robson, Dean of Academic Transformation Projects. 
• The Senior Sponsor for LGBTQ+ Equality is Prof Chris Ashford, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange.
• The Senior Sponsor for Disability Equality is Prof Louise Bracken, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange. 
• We are currently in the process of identifying a Senior Sponsor for Race Equality.