Creating a new equality agenda

Cambridge University publishes landmark audit of its equal opportunities policies and practices

The University has now completed its equality audit. This year-long review of our equality policies and practices was commissioned by the General Board and Council and carried out with the help of specialist consultants Schneider-Ross. The full results of the audit are contained in a report: 'Equality in the University: Setting a New Agenda', which is published today on the internet at:
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/personnel/equality/

The audit is probably the first of its kind for a UK higher education institution, and as such provides a model of good practice for other universities serious about equality. Cambridge is committed to achieving improvement in equal opportunities, and the audit is seen as an essential part of the ongoing process of positive change.

Amongst the report's key findings are:

The audit has been carried out with the keen support and active participation of Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sir Alec Broers:

"Equal opportunities are at the very heart of higher education, which is, after all, about developing individuals' potential to the full. We've done a lot of work on equality issues over the last decade or so, but we felt it was time to step back and take a fresh look at ourselves. This audit has shown that in striving for academic excellence, Cambridge people firmly support a strictly merit-based approach to appointments and promotions, and recognise the need to find new ways of developing the potential of a diverse population of staff."

The audit looked at staffing statistics and policies and practices relating to gender, ethnicity and disability. It also involved a series of interviews, focus groups, and a questionnaire sent to every member of staff in the University (with a 40% response rate across all staff groups). The result is an analysis not only of the University's official policies, but also of the institution's culture (or cultures), and employees' feelings and attitudes about working at Cambridge.

The way forward
On Monday 29 January the Council gave approval for the immediate publication of a Notice in the Reporter, the Schneider-Ross report, an accompanying commentary and an immediate action plan. The Personnel Committee will consider the report in detail on 31 January and make recommendations which will go to the General Board and then back to the Council.

Building on the audit, the University has already put together plans for a mid-May 2001 seminar for Heads of Department, with the theme Leadership style and nurturing potential, to be supported by a change management specialist. From October 2001 the University will run major new training programmes on recruitment and selection, and induction, support and development programmes for heads and other leaders. These and other plans are detailed in the attachments to the report at:
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/personnel/equality/