Equality Week 2026
Event
Equality Week 2026
Monday 9 March, 2026 – Friday 13 March, 2026Welcome to Equality Week 2026 at BSU
This week is a celebration of equality, diversity and inclusion in their fullest and most vibrant forms where staff and students alike can see themselves reflected, valued and uplifted in the widest possible way.
Equality Week is our opportunity to shine a light on the many wonderful things happening across our university community, to recognise the richness of our differences, and to champion our shared values that bring us together.
Welcome from the Chancellor, Sharanjit Leyl
At Bath Spa University, Equality Week is more than a date in the calendar; it is an expression of who we are: a values-led community rooted in inclusion and respect. It reminds us that while talent is universal, opportunity is not — and that our ambitions for Strategy 2035, from leading inclusive growth to removing barriers and enabling every learner to flourish, depend on our willingness to act.
As someone shaped by the richness of more than one heritage, I am reminded that inclusion is not an abstract ideal. It is a daily practice. It is found in the courage to truly listen to stories that may be different from our own. It is present in the humility to learn and be changed for the better
Equality on our campus is a shared responsibility and a promise that every member of our diverse community will be seen, supported and empowered to shape their future. I hope you’ll all enjoy the week and participate in the many enriching events we have in store!
Welcome from the Vice-Chancellor
Vice-Chancellor Georgina Andrews opens Equality Week with a special welcome message.
Equality week is special at Bath Spa University because it reflects our core values of inclusion and respect. These values are part of our DNA, and they will be enshrined even more clearly in our new Strategy 2035. Our ambitions for 2035 include leading inclusive growth, removing barriers to opportunity, and enabling our diverse community of learners to develop career enhancing skills, and to flourish. We can only achieve this by continuing to listen, learn and develop, building on our foundations as a values-led and socially responsible university.
My personal research interests include the law relating to Equality, Diversity and Human Rights, and I can't wait to discover more, during Equalities week, and throughout the rest of the year. I hope to see you at some of the events.
This event has been postponed
Getting your voice heard
Thursday 5 March 10am-12.15pm, Online
This event is open to staff only
Kimberley Russell and Ayesha Chawdhry-Manek would like to invite you celebrate International Women's Day and Equality Week by joining us for a workshop hosted by The Talent Pool.
Getting Your Voice Heard is a practical, thought-provoking session for women who want their ideas to land with confidence, credibility and impact at work. Drawing on research into bias, communication dynamics and voice science, this session explores why women can sometimes go unheard — even when they’re well-prepared and capable — and what actually helps.
You’ll leave with practical strategies to speak with clarity, authority and presence, use allies to amplify your voice, and navigate meetings and conversations more effectively, without changing who you are or becoming someone you’re not.
LGBTQIA+ History Month Zine Lab
Thursday 5 March, 12:30pm-1.30pm, Hackney Campus DRC D201 (Digital Resources Centre)
*Please note that this is the last session for this project
Come and make something with us! This is a weekly 50-minute creative session in the DRC where we’ll combine a short intro on LGBTQIA+ history and inclusion with relaxed studio time. Each week you’ll create one zine page using a simple digital template (no experience needed).
By the end of the month, we’ll compile everyone’s pages (with opt-in consent) into a shared PDF zine, with the option to display selected pages on campus.
Beginner-friendly, no pressure to share personal stories, anonymous participation is welcome, open to staff and students!
Belonging for All - How we learn and think differently
Monday 9 March - Friday 13 March, 2pm-3pm, Canteen, Canary Wharf campus
Belonging for All is our dedicated Equality Week celebrating neurodiversity and learning differences across our community. This week is all about recognising strengths, embracing individuality, challenging misconceptions, and creating spaces where every learner feels understood, supported, and truly valued.
Throughout the week, we’ll explore the many ways people think, learn and communicate. Staff and students all welcome.
Demo: Mindmapping with Lucid
Monday 9 March, 3.00-3.30pm, Online
This session is presented by Chelsea Hicks.
Chelsea is the Customer Success Manger at Lucid and will take us through Mind Maps in Lucid.
Lucid helps users create clean and clearly-designed mind maps with branches that collapse or expand. Its software leverages AI to generate, expand on, and summarize ideas.
Book here to join this session
Let's Talk Careers: Disability, Race and Gender Drop in
Tuesday 10 March, 11am-1pm, The Careers space, Commons, Newton Park Campus
A relaxed drop‑in space where you can ask questions, learn about the support available from the Careers & Employability team, and chat about any challenges you might face in the workplace. We’ll share ways to navigate these situations and what support you can expect from the university or from future employers. We'll also share helpful resources and signpost you to support the university provides.
Find out more about what support Empowers and Neuropathways offer. For more information, visit MyCareers.
Coffee and nibbles provided.
Accessibility and Bath Spa University - a collaborative session with AccessAble
Tuesday 10 March, 12.00 - 1pm, Online
Hosted by the Disabled Staff Network and Lauren Hill from AccessAble.
This collaborative session with AccessAble will discuss access audits using a couple of examples from buildings at Newton Park.
You will have the opportunity to see and read these access audits for yourself. You will also be invited to share your experiences of accessibility at the University, and ideas for change.
All students and staff are welcome to attend - no prior understanding of disability or accessibility is required.
Book here to join this session
Demo: Making the most out of Jamworks
Tuesday 10 March, 3.00-3.30pm, Online
This session is presented by presented by Lewis Maskell
Lewis is the Community Manager at Jamworks, and will be giving a demonstration on how you can use Jamworks to help take better notes in class, study more effectively, and consolidate your knowledge to get better grades.
Jamworks is a personalised note taking and learning platform that uses AI to assist with your note taking and revision. From summaries to slides, flashcards to our AI chatbot, Jamworks has all of the tools you might need to aid your own personal learning journey.
Book here to join this session
Your Voice Matters!
Wednesday 11 March, 9.30am - 1pm, The Street, Locksbrook Campus
Friday 13 March 9.30am - 2.30pm, Commons Atrium, Newton Park Campus
Help us shape our Equality Objectives to reflect the real experiences and needs of our BSU community.
We'll be at Locksbrook and Newton Park giving staff and students the opportunity to respond to questions, pose their own and develop our university-wide objectives.
Don’t know what our objectives are? Stop by to learn more!
Demo: Making the most out of Read&Write
Wednesday 11 March, 11.00am-11.30am, Online
You’ll see how Read&Write can boost reading confidence, support academic writing, and promote greater independence, helping create a learning environment where everyone can understand and be understood.
Book here to join this session
We Are The People: Disability Research Takeover
At Newton Park
- Wednesday 11 March, 10am-3pm, Commons, Atrium
- Wednesday 11 March, 12.30pm - 3pm CM.G23 (Film screening) *The screening will also be shown on the big screens throughout the day
At Locksbrook
- Thursday 12 March, 12pm-3pm, The Street
- Thursday 12 March, 12.30pm - 3pm LR.G26 (Film screening)
The We Are The People team will be showcasing some projects working with disabled people in the South West.
Come and have a chat with the team about our work and look at our creative outputs such as zines and posters from collaborative projects with LGBTQIA+ disabled people and disabled people from global majority backgrounds.
We'll also share our film capturing the stories and experiences of parents and carers of children with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). You can also test games and resources from our dementia project.
Drinks and snacks will be provided.
Demo: Making the most of Present Pal, supporting anxiety and more.
Wednesday 11 March, 3.00-3.30pm, Online
This session is presented by Joe Dawber.
Present Pal is a communication and presentation support software that acts like a set of interactive flashcards on your smartphone or tablet, integrating fully with Microsoft PowerPoint Slides through our Present Pal Integrations.
Book here to join this session
Wellbeing in a digital age
How do we use digital resources healthily? with Bryony Rowntree
Thursday 12 March, 1pm - 2pm, Online.
We're living in a digital age - connecting via Teams, meditating using apps, appreciating Nature on Instagram – and yet we're still figuring out how to do this healthily. Each of these things are good for our wellbeing whilst, at the same time, too much digital living is exhausting and can have negative impacts on our mental health.
This is an unresolved issue for most of us.
This session, as part of the University’s marking of International Women’s Day and Equality Week, will be a conversation around where we are at with it now, and considering the next shift towards a balance that works for you. There will be reflective questions posed and, as always, Bryony will invite you to come as you are and engage in a way that works for you.
Neuroinclusive Practice in Higher Education
Thursday 12 March, 3.30pm - 4.30pm, Room LC.LR.201), Locksbrook Campus or online.
On behalf of the Neurodivergent Staff Network, we are pleased to bring to you a talk with Devon Lowdnes.
This session is suitable for academic and professional services colleagues, and open to anyone interested in strengthening inclusive practice. We will explore how we can move towards meaningful neuroinclusive practice across the university and look at what neurodiversity means in the context of higher education. We will consider the barriers neurodivergent staff and students may face, and practical steps to create more inclusive teaching, learning and working environments.
Devon will combine insight, reflection and applied strategies, offering space to consider how small shifts in communication, culture and design can have a significant impact.
Designing inclusive environments for people living with dementia
Monday 16 March, 9:30am- 3pm, Corston Building, NP.CN.G14,
The We Are The People team are running a workshop about designing inclusive environments for people living with dementia. This is being held as part of the Neighbourhood Toolbox Exchange Workshop series. We'll be discussing dementia awareness, what makes a dementia-inclusive community, and how people with dementia can be involved throughout the design process. The session will involve working through practical examples of designing for people living with dementia.
The workshop will be attended by local architects and dementia experts from Reminiscence Learning.
We have 5 spaces available for Bath Spa students and staff. Drinks and snacks will be provided.
If you would like to attend, please send an email to Arthur: a.holt@bathspa.ac.uk
BSU's QRiosity Trail
February and March, Newton Park grounds
Bath Spa's QRiosity Trail will centre around Equality Week and International Women’s Day, for the month of March.
Take a walk around the beautiful Newton Park Lake and spot the five QR codes along the path. Here you can discover more about these important dates and what they mean to the Bath Spa community.
Q and A with Everyday Racism
Friday 20 March, 12.30pm-1.30pm, Online
We are proud to present a Q and A session with Everyday Racism, who are joining us again after their last thought-provoking session during BHM. This time the focus will be on: ‘Creating safer/proactive discussion around anti-racism practices’.
Natalie and Naomi are co-founders of Everyday Racism, which serves as the largest anti-racism platform in the UK. At the heart of their work is a commitment to empowering people to make a difference in the world. Naomi and Natalie believe that education and action are the fundamental routes to stopping social injustice.
Please join us online on 20 March at 12:30pm for an interactive Q and A session. If you'd like to submit a question beforehand please email Ayesha by 18 March.