The hidden cost of equity work: Labor and wellbeing

A UEL/CGHE Policy Roundtable Series

(University of East London in conjunction with the Centre for Global Higher Education, University of Oxford)

This three-part CGHE policy roundtable webinar series brings together senior leaders, policymakers, researchers and practitioners to explore the future of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) within UK higher education.

While DEI has become embedded within institutional strategies globally, it is increasingly subject to political scrutiny, legal challenge, and public debate. The first webinar explores how universities are responding to these challenges, the second investigates the hidden costs of equity work, and the third explores the contribution and impact of DEI initiatives.

This series seeks to move beyond questions of commitment towards a more critical inquiry: how can DEI be positioned, evidenced and sustained as a credible driver of institutional performance, research excellence and public value?

Convened by Jeff Grim (George Mason and Visiting Research Fellow, Department of Education, Oxford) and Jummy Okoya, Dean of Office for Institutional Equity, UEL.

Abstract

Creating equitable educational and work environments can be a herculean task that requires structure, accountability, resources, innovation, and sustained institutional commitment. Often, those doing equity work have to rely on a patchwork quilt of informal networks, limited resources, and personal passion to change policy and support marginalized students and staff. This comes at a cost, especially when political forces create unnecessary pressures. Through research and personal experiences, this second policy roundtable in the series will examine the often invisible labour of equity work, and its impact on staff wellbeing work.

Register to attend online.

There’s no need to register if attending in-person.