Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

SGIA’s staff and student body is highly diverse, coming from different backgrounds and representing a broad range of perspectives and approaches of political science and IR with staff conducting research across all world regions [not sure if this applies to teaching]. Staff and students work together to promote respect for difference and ensure inclusive research and learning experiences. Because EDI is important to the SGIA, we have established different mechanisms to promote and monitor it, most crucially the EDI committee. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is important to the School of Government and International Affairs and our EDI committee promotes best practice across the department. The membership includes representatives from all sections of the department. 

Our EDI Committee and School Management Group are committed to our EDI principles, ensuring that they are integrated in all departmental processes and strategy. In doing so we create an environment for work and study that promotes equality of opportunity for all regardless of ethnicity , gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, or religion and takes into account personal circumstances such as pregnancy, maternity, adoption, parental leave or roles as carers. Our EDI Committee reports at each Board of Studies meeting and is represented on our School Management Committee. The EDI committee carries out and analyses surveys to obtain views on EDI in the School. We also have a student-led EDI Committee, which is represented at the School EDI Committee and brings student-related matters to our attention. We welcome volunteers who are keen to make a difference on the student-led committee.

The EDI Committee includes the following leads who specialise on EDI-related matters: 

• First Generation Scholars Lead
• Widening Participation Lead
• BAME Lead
• Disability Officer
• Decolonisation Working Group Lead

Athena Swan and Gender Equality

SGIA was the 1st Politics Department in the UK to hold an Athena Swan Bronze award in 2015, before now holding an Athena Swan Silver Award. This award recognises our strong commitment to achieving gender equality among staff and students. We continue to work towards our Athena Swan priorities and have an active self-assessment team, which includes staff and students. The team continuously reassesses how we can strengthen our commitment to gender equality in our day-to-day work.

Read more about the Athena SWAN Silver Award.

EDI Committee

SGIA's EDI Committee within the School and Government and Affairs meets once per term. Please contact any member of the committee for further information or to raise concerns.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee Members

The purpose of the committee is to promote awareness of EDI issues within the School and to propose to the Board of Studies actions aimed at advancing the equal opportunity of all students and staff within the School. The membership represents a spectrum of senior and early-career staff as well as students from diverse programmes in SGIA.

Current work includes:

• Promoting good practice in recruitment, and equality and diversity in progression and promotion 
• EDI and the department's public facing activities 
• The “EDI library” to make available textbooks to students
• Supporting colleagues in participating in the Aurora programme
• Promote the decolonization of research practice

Our EDI work includes:

• Raising awareness and proactively encouraging gender equity in the discipline.
• Raising awareness about mental health issues and creating relevant support structures.
• Raising awareness and taking actions to support dis/ability in the department and discipline.
• Working to balance the representation of diverse racial, ethnic, and social groups and increase visibility within the department activities and committees and within the discipline broadly.
• Advocate on EDI issues within our University structures and systems.
• Acting as a point of contact for all relevant EDI networks and groups throughout the University.
• Support our certification applications (e.g. Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter).

SGIA Emergency Hardship Fund

The School of Government and International Affairs Emergency Hardship fund is designed to be used by those students who require a single specific EDI related cost which they need to meet quickly but are unable to do so as they are economically disadvantaged and have exhausted other university emergency funds.  

This fund can also be used to complement relevant college funding you may have applied for.

You can find out more about the Emergency Hardship fund here.