City, University of London has launched its Office for Institutional Equity and Inclusion (OIEI).

The Office will act as a catalyst for inclusive excellence and culture change at City, working across the University to foster an inclusive, fair and respectful environment for the whole community.

Dr Jessica Jones Nielsen, Assistant Vice-President for EDI at City, announced the Office’s five strategic priorities: ensure equity, increase diversity, enhance engagement, promote inclusion and value students.

She said:

I have not worked with a better team. Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein has ensured that EDI is centred at the heart of City’s strategy.

With the launch of the Office and the announcement of our strategic priorities, we are moving from intention to impact. I want us to bring our whole selves to City because we all belong in the City community.

Jessica then discussed how these strategic priorities will be implemented.

In the spirit of co-creation, the OIEI team will work closely with students and staff to create an equitable and inclusive University by hosting regular feedback sessions, workshops, focus groups, roadshows and events.

Doing so places the student experience at the heart of City’s EDI work by giving students the opportunity to spearhead EDI initiatives that directly impact them.

Continuing its work on meeting higher education standards such as the Athena Swan renewal, the Race Equality Charter award and the Stonewall Equalities Index, Jessica shared how the OIEI will work to broaden the intersectionality of its EDI standards by furthering City’s disability access and Faith and Belief.

The OIEI team will be appointing an EDI Data Manager who will set up a dedicated EDI Data Dashboard which will enable City to identify best practice and gain insights from Benchmarking, and this in turn, will create opportunities for alignment, replication and expansion of City’s EDI initiatives.

Original article by Eve Lacroix (Communications Officer)