Strategic Context

Northumbria University’s vision for 2030 is that through our world-leading research and transformative education we will enable people from all backgrounds to succeed and support businesses and communities in the North East, London and beyond to thrive. 

In our University Strategy we have chosen to make five Commitments about how we will act while delivering our strategic ambitions. Northumbria’s commitment to inclusion is clearly articulated through our Strategic Commitment 'We promote fairness in a community where all staff and students feel they belong’. By understanding the needs of individuals, we aim to remove any unnecessary barriers and adopt an inclusive approach across all our activities.

This strategic commitment to fairness and belonging informs our approach to our people, including each stage of the colleague and student journey from recruitment to retention, development, and progression. We aim to have a diverse workforce, including more colleagues from under-represented groups at middle and senior management levels. We have committed to the elimination of median pay gaps by gender, ethnicity and disability as our key measurement of success.

Our EDI report covers the academic year 2023 to 2024. Throughout the year the University has continued to progress work relating to four focus areas of inclusion which are, Gender Equality, Race Equality, LGBTQ+ Equality and Disability Equality. Each of the four focus areas have a Senior Sponsor who helps drive the EDI agenda forward with each sponsor chairing their respective formal Steering Group.

To support a structured and coherent institutional approach to EDI which considers an intersectional lens and advancing equality beyond the four focus areas, the University has continued to make progress in relation to its three core EDI themes. These are:

• Embed EDI into our core business
• Take action to eliminate barriers
• Fostering inclusion and a sense of belonging 

The report provides a summary of the actions taken, and progress made against our 2023 – 24 Equality Objectives. The report also provides an update in relation to our colleague demographics, which is part of our commitment to transparency and enables us to fulfil our requirement to publish regular information under the Public Sector Equality Duty. 

Leadership, Structures and Governance

The EDI Committee, chaired by Professor Andy Long, the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Northumbria University, has responsibility for overseeing EDI (with accountability to the Board of Governors).  Each focus area of inclusion is led by a Senior Sponsor, who is part of the University’s senior leadership team which ensures accountability for EDI matters at the highest level within the organisation. In academic Faculties, Deputy Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellors (Research and Knowledge Exchange) who have Faculty level strategic responsibility for EDI are responsible for Faculty Directors of EDI, ensuring that EDI is embedded into management structures and decision-making processes.

EDI Team

The EDI Team sits within Human Resources at Northumbria with work led by the Director of EDI.  EDI Managers have portfolios for the four focus areas of Inclusion, working closely with the relevant Senior Sponsor. EDI Coordinators provide a dedicated point of contact for academic Faculties as well as supporting the work of the wider EDI Team.

Networks and Groups

The University has a range of formal and informal networks and groups which the Equality Steering Groups engage with when appropriate. The co-chairs of formal Networks such as the LGBTQ* Network and the Disabled Staff Network hold seats on the relevant Steering Groups.

Student Life and Wellbeing

The Accessibility and Inclusion Team is a large team within Student Life and Wellbeing covering student accessibility, access to learning funds and student inclusion.  Their purpose is to enable all students to access equal opportunities and addressing inequalities in student outcomes post-entry. The teams lead or directly support a variety of key legal and / or regulatory requirements relating to EDI for our students including Northumbria’s Access and Participation Plan. The wider student EDI work is overseen by an EDI Operational Group which feeds into the EDI and Education Committees.

Return to main EDI Report page.