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We aim to cultivate a culture that reflects our values and celebrates the diversity of our people. Our approach to fostering belonging is grounded in three core pillars:
The Engagement Hub was launched this year as a key space for colleague voice and feedback, offering inclusive, accessible channels for colleagues to share their ideas, concerns and lived experiences through anonymous submissions, facilitated discussions and structured feedback opportunities. The Hub ensures that all voices are heard especially those from underrepresented or marginalised groups, to support psychological safety and trust, helping to build a stronger, more inclusive workplace culture.
University-wide events play an important role in strengthening community ties and fostering shared experiences. Initiatives such as the Family Pantomimes and the annual Snowball celebration bring colleagues together across departments, encouraging connection.
As well as reinforcing our inclusive values they offer meaningful opportunities for staff to engage socially and build relationships outside of their day-to-day roles. They help cultivate a vibrant, welcoming environment where everyone can feel a part of something bigger.
Launched in March, the Community Citizenship programme is an integral part of fostering a culture of engagement and contribution. It encourages colleagues to go beyond their formal job roles supporting peers, enhancing the student experience, and participating in university life. From induction and probation, new colleagues are introduced to the importance of citizenship and given opportunities to engage in cross-departmental initiatives that promote integration and alignment with Northumbria’s values.
So far 636 colleagues are currently part of the Community Citizenship Hub, and in a short space of time 140 colleagues have actively participated in Citizenship activities.
Our third annual Shine Awards took place in July 2025 to celebrate colleagues and teams across the University who are committed to our Values and who personify our Behaviours. 197 nominations were received, of which 139 were for individuals and 58 for teams.
21 individuals and 21 teams were shortlisted, and our worthy winners were presented with their award by members of the University Executive Team and Board of Governors. All those shortlisted were presented with a certificate in recognition of their outstanding contributions and commitment to embracing Northumbria Values and Behaviours.
One of the six awards is the Inclusivity Award which is for colleagues and teams who recognise, value and celebrate our diversity and collective expertise; and who practise and promote fairness, transparency and mutual respect, asking for and listening to feedback so that they can learn and improve.
The 2025 winner of the individual Inclusivity Award was Lucy Currie, Assistant Professor in Education in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences who, as a leading member of the BAME network, has significantly contributed to the Race Equality Charter Bronze Award and been vocal in advancing the cause of all minoritised colleagues. The Team Inclusivity Award went to the True Colours LGBTQ+ Co-chairs, whose work has contributed to creating an inclusive, safe environment which has profoundly impacted staff well-being and strengthened university-wide belonging.
Disability History Month was marked with signposting to online resources and internal sessions including Mental Health Language Awareness and Reasonable Adjustments Training for managers. On Global Accessibility Awareness Day, the Technology Enhanced Learning team promoted 25 Tips for Accessibility and Inclusive Practices on LinkedIn
During National Supported Internship Day in March, colleagues from City Learning hosted a drop in session with DFN interns and colleagues in Pandon, where people could find out more about supported internships and opportunities to host placements, as well as routes to supported internships for friends and family who may be eligible for the programmes.
During Neurodiversity Celebration Week we again welcomed Lexxic to deliver a session on Supporting Neurodivergent Team Members for line managers, following demand when we ran the session in the previous year. Other events included an ADHD awareness session, an Art Exhibition, a Neurodiversity@Northumbria Cafe drop-in and a colleague drop in.
The third annual Autism in the Workplace event was held for autistic students and recent graduates and designed in consultation with autistic colleagues and students. The event celebrated the skills autistic people bring to the workplace and offered advice on accessing work experience and graduate jobs. The event was hybrid and neuroinclusive by design, including regular breaks, a sensory corner for in person attendees, guests welcome to provide support for attendees and videos of the venue shared in advance.
The day included: a panel discussion of autistic speakers working in a variety of industries; an employer panel focused on how organisations celebrate autistic talent; a workshop on ‘Understanding your skills, searching for jobs and communicating how your skills match the advert’. A 2024 student attendee shared how she had used learnings from the event to request adjustments at the application/interview stage and in the workplace. She asked to tell her story at the 2025 event. She commented that this was a “full circle moment”:
“Last year, I attended the Graduate Futures Autism and the Workplace session at Northumbria University. This year, I’m back to share my experience of securing my job and discuss some of the things that have been put in place...Being autistic, dyslexic, or having any other neurodiverse traits does not mean you cannot work. It’s about finding the right employer and the appropriate support for you.”
The event received fantastic qualitative feedback and a Net Promoter Score of 76.
Following their Bronze Athena Swan Award in April 2024, RIS has continued to implement their action plan. This includes the launch of RIS INSPIRE, a Lunch and Learn series. Co-created by and for RIS staff it provides opportunities to meet and share good practice to create a positive, inclusive and accessible working culture where colleagues feel they have a voice and are supported in their own career wishes and goals.
The RIS Line Managers Forum provides space for Line Managers to share best practice in a supportive environment, which promotes consistent line management approaches across the service guided by Northumbria’s Values and Behaviours.
Re-Induction is a trial of a ‘buddy system’ for those returning from parental leave. Feedback is being collected and monitored from returning members of staff and a re-induction checklist is in development to support line managers with colleagues who are returning from parental leave.
On International Women’s Day this March we came together with Newcastle City Council and other partner organisations to celebrate inspirational women, raise awareness about gender equality and to honour the women shaping our city and making a difference in our communities. We were delighted to see that amongst almost 150 nominations were several of our own Northumbria colleagues and students were recognised alongside as inspirational women.
Attendees enjoyed a varied programme hosted by North East advocate and journalist Charlie Charlton, which included talks by businesswoman Amanda Staveley, best known in the region for her association with Newcastle United, Justine King of ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ and performances by local artist Isabel Maria, Tahmina Arts and Newcastle College.
Our Vice-Chancellor joined a roundtable of regional leaders brought together to consider how we will work together to accelerate action on gender parity to promote economic growth in and around the City and to unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for women.
Colleagues hosted a Brilliant Breakfast in March for the King’s Trust Change a Girl’s Life to raise funds to support young women with resources such as laptops, course materials, and personal development programmes.
Colleagues in Engineering and Environment collaborated with the Students’ Union to address sexism and marking mistrust. Workshops designed to empower women’s entry into construction and leadership were held.
The Faculty of Business and Law continued their series of Menopause cafés being held up to three times a year. Feedback is highly positive, with participants valuing the safe space to discuss menopause at work.
Northumbria’s Wellbeing pages on Menopause offer guidance, support and signposting to self-paced learning on menopause and the workplace as well as links to external information and support.
Various LGBTQ+ events were marked throughout the year including Trans Day of Visibility, Lesbian Visibility Week, International Non-Binary People’s Day and Bi-Visibility Day and IDAHOBIT with online information, resources and signposting. During LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June, rainbow banners were once again raised across campus providing visual representation and celebration of Northumbria as a LGBTQ+ friendly campus.
During LGBT History Month colleagues attended Proud Allies training delivered by Curious Arts in partnership with Northern Pride. The session was designed to build confidence in creating safe, inclusive and welcoming environments for LGBTQIA+ people and was met with good feedback from participants.
This year we have placed an emphasis on providing support for external networking and learning for LGBTQ+ colleagues. Colleagues have engaged in Pride in Leadership local launch events and the first national conference, as well as Out of Office professional networking events.
Colleagues attended Out North East Gateshead Pride events and Northumbria colleagues attended the National Police LGBTQ+ Conference held in Newcastle in July.
Northumbria’s annual PRIDE Breakfast, hosted by the Students’ Union and supported by the EDI Team and True Colours Network, was as with previous years, popular with colleagues and students as a place to gather before joining the Pride March. Participants enjoyed breakfast, face painting, giveaways and banner making before leaving for the Civic Centre.
Over the course of the year, colleagues, students and the Students’ Union have run projects and activities related to race equality and recognising diverse identities. Black History Month 2024 had a theme of ‘Reclaiming Narratives’ and events included:
The 2025 S.HI.NE Conference, held at Northumbria was a call to action to amplify voices, influence policy, foster mentorship, and build professional networks to help propel careers forward.
A Cultural Humility session in the summer allowed staff and students to understand acculturation processes, how to mitigate stereotypes and how to offer culturally sensitive support. For staff there were also tools to promote a more inclusive and respectful workplace and how to understand diverse communication styles and cultural norms.
The Students’ Union hosted a range of events for Black History Month, Diwali, Holi and Dandiya, International week, Ramadan, Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year, Eid Celebration and Saudi National Days.
As part of GRTSB History Month we hosted a talk by Sheldon Chadwick, Chair of the Showmen’s Mental Health Awareness Charity. The exhibition ‘It’s All A Show’ was followed by a performance of ‘Big Wheel’ by the Showmen’s Theatre Company, exploring what it means to be a showman in the 21st century and examining the relationship between identity and mental health in the community. The Library did a spotlight display Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen, and Boater collection to run alongside and the books purchased have been added to Diversity Reading Lists as well as to an online collection of books by and for the community.
Three colleagues from the Diversifying Leadership Group received funding to attend a Diversifying Leadership Conference in Leeds in April.
ADSS held a ‘Centring the Needs of International Students’ workshop, supporting colleagues to understand how international postgraduate students are adapting and what they need. Topics included cultural adaptation, AI and accessibility.
ADSS hosted a research-flavoured session in October 2024 titled ‘Speaking for Others: Some Reflections’.
Graduate Futures hosted "Get work experience! Be one of 10,000 Interns" during Black History Month 2024. This event showcased internship opportunities via the 10,000 Black Interns programme run by the 10,000 Interns Foundation (10KIF). As a result, five Northumbria students were accepted onto the Summer 2025 programme.
Two dedicated quiet rooms were introduced in the Business and Law Building this year to provide spaces for people to rest, relax, meditate, pray, or take time to recharge. More widely a brief is being developed for the provision of further quiet and sensory spaces across the campus.
A new Professional Services Community (PSC) was established in Business and Law for Faculty and Faculty-aligned Professional, Technical and Operational colleagues, aimed towards raising awareness of, and building respect for, one another’s roles. The Group has met twice during the reporting period, supporting discussions such as flexible working, parental leave and helping to build a supportive and inclusive environment for all Professional Services colleagues in the Faculty.
A further 42 new titles were added to the Library's Represented Reading Collection based on student and staff suggestions. 510 items were loaned, an increase of 76% on the previous year. Promotion of the collection expanded to include the production of reels for our social media, and pop-up stands that went beyond the library to cover across campus including Digital Commons and CCE1. Materials promoting the collection were also made available to students at a weekly Neurodiversity Cafe held in Student Central.
Eight spotlight displays related to the Represented Reading collection were produced in the 2024/25 academic year, with new themes introduced such as UK Disability Awareness Month, and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
The banners in the Library have been reviewed and redesigned, considering feedback from the Neurodiverse Transition Tours already in place. The banners have been simplified, and expectations of acceptable behaviour are clearer. The suggested text was sent to the SU Disability Representation for feedback on the working and design.
During the Celebration of Education event TEL held six sessions embedding themes of student inclusion and universal design for learning:
Recognising the influence of peer culture in student clubs, this year saw the introduction of structural changes to embed inclusion into club governance. All 35 clubs (representing 2,500 members) were required to appoint an Engagement Officer, replacing the non-mandatory ‘Social Secretary’ role. This reframing created space for non-sporting connection, ensuring events were inclusive, safe, and reflective of the full diversity of our membership.
Engagement Officers were tasked with:
All committee members, including Engagement Officers, completed Active Bystander training in September, delivered by the Students’ Union. This equipped them to challenge inappropriate behaviour and foster a culture of respect and accountability. Engagement Officers also took part in dedicated training on building a positive club culture and effectively managing club membership, covering areas such as recruitment, retention, and member exits. The impact of these initiatives was evident in the annual Student Sport Survey, where 94% of club members agreed that Northumbria Sport gave them a strong sense of belonging.
A Carers and the Workplace online event was held for student carers on Carers Rights Day, which highlighted the strengths carers bring to the workforce, addressed challenges, and introduced students to carer-friendly employers. Speakers included Graduate Futures, the Working for Carers project, Carers' Centres, and the UK Government’s Going Forward into Employment team. The Students‘ Union established a monthly Group for student carers.
This year was a record-breaking year for student participation on campus community. 5,739 students are a member of one or more of 113 societies. 1,053 of those 5,739 are members of one or more international society.
The Students’ Union organised and supported students to organise dozens of events on campus to bring students together attended by over 5,000 students across the year with replica events held in London wherever possible.
Northumbria’s Staff Networks provide valuable peer support for their members and have an important role in ensuring that a diverse range of experiences and perspectives are heard and considered in decision-making processes.
Membership of the BAME Network has increased this year, as has membership of the BAME Network Steering Group, resulting in more voices being heard in decision making. Meetings are now taking place regularly each month and in person, and regular catch ups with the EDI Manager have facilitated continuous dialogue with the EDI Team. This year the BAME Network began attending the ‘Welcome to Northumbria’ events for new staff. This has helped to make new colleagues aware of the network and to expand the membership.
The Network meets regularly for coffee catch ups and there are monthly meetings where Network members meet informally and discuss workplace issues, shared experience, political topics of relevance, and to support newer members (who are often new to the university and often to the North East region) to expand their personal networks.
Network co-leads have continued to sit on the Race Equality Steering Group and meetings have continued meeting with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in relation to Northumbria’s core business goals. One of the Network Co-Chairs gave feedback to the Health and Life Sciences Faculty Executive Group meetings as part of a pilot to consider views on actions taken at these meetings from a BAME Network perspective. Network members have also engaged in inclusion and accessibility sessions around the plans for the new CHASE building, ensuring that all perspectives are heard as the project progresses. Meetings have taken place with Mary Udeze from the Students’ Union to explore removing barriers between the BAME Network and the Students’ Union, and to identify where the Network can more actively engaged in their work and activities.
Network Steering Group members once again took part in the reverse mentoring scheme, mentoring university senior leaders on racial equality issues, to improve cultural awareness, provide fresh perspectives, close generational gaps and further support the university’s diversity and inclusion goals. Support was offered to other Equality Network members taking part for the first time this year.
In December 2024 the BAME Network and EDI Team hosted ‘A Conversation with Dr Nadena Doharty, Associate Professor of Sociology at Durham University, whose research interests include Critical Race Feminist analysis of Black experiences in and through education both at the compulsory school-level and in Higher Education institutions in England.
Nadena’s work has translated to important anti-racist and decolonial changes inside and outside of the academy, and she is currently exploring the theoretical precision of Black Studies for exploring Black students’ mental ill-health at university.
The past year has once again been a busy and active one for the True Colours Network and Co-Chairs, with a range of internal and external social and learning events supported and attended, including Out of Office Newcastle LGBTQ+ professional networking events and the LGBTQ Domestic Abuse awareness conference at Durham University.
Three Network members attended the November 2024 Pride in Leadership conference in Manchester, making key contacts and sharing learning with the LGBTQ+ Steering Group after the event. Network Co-Chairs attended the Northumbria Police LGBTQ Conference in July 2025. The Network organised a Vigil to commemorate Transgender Day of Remembrance in November 2024
Other events and activities included ‘queer coffee & chats’, jointly hosting a Halloween themed pub quiz with the Students’ Union, a monthly lunchtime Book Club, a Christmas/Winter holidays get together visiting the Christmas markets, and LGBTQ+ Eat and Greet lunch sessions with members.
A joint Northumbria/Newcastle City Council UNISON event at the Civic Centre ‘The Power of Communities’ marked IDAHOBIT in May. The event, attended by our Vice-Chancellor, local councillors and members of the EDI Team and Network members, included a panel discussion which our Director of EDI participated in and culminated in a flag raising ceremony.
Network Co-Chairs shared regular updates through chat on the Network Teams site, on LGBTQ+ International news and events and shared positive advancements in human rights for LGBTQ+ people, as well as information on events from other networks (Women’s, BAME, Parents and Disability).
The April 2025 Supreme Court ruling on the interpretation of gender and biological sex generated a wide level of interest and engagement with members. Several sessions were held to discuss the potential implications and support colleagues to raise their concerns. The Network then submitted an independent response to the EHRC Consultation to gather feedback on the changes made to the code of practice in relation to the ruling. The Network continued to engage with the Senior Sponsor for LGBTQ+ Equality on this matter and the subsequent statements issued by the Vice-Chancellor and Senior Sponsor. The Network offers ongoing support to any colleagues who may be impacted, either in person or by signposting to the Unacceptable Behaviours portal for anyone experiencing issues relating to their sexual identity at work or elsewhere.
As in previous years the Network supported and promoted the Students’ Union Pride Breakfast before joining the Pride March through the City, and in the summer two co-chairs had the privilege of meeting honorary degree holders who both helped and support the LGBTQ Community, to talk about Northumbria as an inclusive and welcoming university for LGBTQ+ people.
Northumbria’s Parents and Carers Network are part of UK PACT (UK Parent and Carers Together) a national network for parents and carers across the UK HEI sector, co-chaired by Northumbria colleagues. This year saw the introduction of a successful webinar series which members of the Network attended featuring a variety of speakers, and the launch of a toolkit to support Parent and Carer Networks in UKHEIs.
During Carers Week in June the Network held a Carer-Aware session to help members better understand the range of family friendly policies and initiatives at Northumbria, along with a listening group to understand the challenges faced by colleagues with caring responsibilities.
Alongside the main forum, Dad Chat continues to meet as a community and continues to welcome new members.
This year the Network has improved its Intranet space to make it more accessible and informative about the activities taking place in the Women’s Network. The Teams site regularly promotes events and activities to its members including INWED (International Women in Engineering Day) resources, Carer-Aware training, Sisters in Higher Education Conference, funding calls and research participation requests.
The Network organised a successful and well attended Sexual Misconduct in Academia seminar. Two speakers discussed their work: Dr Erin Pritchard (Liverpool Hope) and Dr Lucy Grimshaw (Northumbria).
In the coming academic year the Network intends to expand the number of Co-Chairs of the Group, in line with the model introduced in other Networks.
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