Statement on equality, diversity, and inclusion on the University Court

As the Governing Body of the University of Dundee, the Court is publicly committed to ensuring that established principles of good practice in equality, diversity and inclusion pervade all activities in which the University is engaged. The Court is committed to promoting inclusivity in terms of all nine protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation). The Court recognises that a diverse staff and student community underpins the very nature of academic endeavour, whose foundation is the dialogue and interplay between differing opinions from different backgrounds and standpoints. The success of the University rests on fostering such diversity.

The Court recognises that it must espouse these same principles of good practice in respect of its own membership and that it should be subject to the same scrutiny in respect of equality, diversity and inclusion as the rest of the University community. The Court is particularly concerned to proactively ensure balance in its own membership, as well as in the membership of its own committees and those across the institution. In support of this, the Court is committed to achieving diversity amongst its membership which reflects the diversity within the University community and will therefore use advertising in a way which reaches out to as diverse a range of candidates as possible. The Court will also promote greater diversity from those groups who elect members to serve on the Court.

The Court, through its Governance & Nominations Committee, has established a robust process for appointing new lay members to the Court, which it believes to be transparent, fair and objective. To support this process the Court ensures that appointment panels for new Court members, and for senior appointments within the University, do themselves demonstrate principles of good practice in equality, diversity and inclusion, and this includes an awareness of the risks of unconscious bias.

Moreover, Court already considers an evaluation of the range of skills in all lay appointments as well as equality and diversity information relating to current Court members to be able to promote inclusivity and equality in terms of all nine protected characteristics in the selection process.

Progress in relation to the aims set out above will be monitored through the University’s Equalities Mainstreaming and Outcomes report.

(University Court November 2020)