Equality Week Round-up
News
Equality Week Round-up
Friday, 22 March, 2024As Equality Week draws to a close, we’re looking back on how we celebrated Belonging; being part of and building your community around you.
Bath Spa University believes building a creative, nurturing and innovative ethos is impossible without equality, diversity and inclusion. Forming one of the University’s core values, alongside sustainability, collaboration and respect, inclusion is embedded in the University’s identity.
Last year, BSU was honoured to be named University of the Year for Social Inclusion by The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 - in recognition of its commitment to empowering students from all backgrounds with the opportunity to study and thrive in higher education.
This Equality Week, the BSU community gathered to expand their knowledge and understanding, with staff and students showcasing their enthusiasm to learn how we can become change makers at BSU and beyond.
Through examining what makes the University unique and how we can continue to nurture and expand our community, BSU hopes to continue creating a more inclusive environment.
At the heart of this goal is Equalities Project Officer, Ayesha Chawdhry Manek. Responsible for raising a profile of equality, diversity and inclusion at the University, Ayesha works with the staff Equality Network to deliver a range of projects and events. Discussing this year’s theme and what it means to her, Ayesha said:
“To me, belonging means being safe, comfortable and at home. It means being valued in your community and appreciating the value of others. This week has epitomised the theme for me, with everyone who helped make it happen, presented and promoted the event. How better to encapsulate Belonging than by the community that rallied together to make the week such a success? Thank you all.”
Throughout Equality Week, the opportunity to build understanding and strengthen community bonds was presented to students and staff through a lineup of enlightening discussions, talks, panels, and film screenings.
We heard from our Chancellor-Elect, Sharanjit Leyl, who kicked off Equality Week with a talk on all things belonging, enjoyed a steaming cup of Equali'tea' with the Equality Network chairs, chatted with our Chaplain, reflected on Belonging with our Disability Service Manager, and much more.
Discussing the week’s success, Ayesha said:
“Equality Week enabled the discussion of how it feels to be part of a community, where the strengths lie, within the individuals or groups who make up the community. It has hopefully lit the embers of some bigger conversations to be had on where we can do more.
“There’s a quote by the American civil rights activist, advocate, legal scholar and theorist, Pauli Murray that perfectly sums up what belonging means: True communities are based on equality, mutuality and reciprocity. It affirms the richness of individual diversity, as well as common human ties that bind us together.”
Interested in becoming a change maker? BSU’s Student Networks represent a range of liberation groups such as the Disabled Student Network, BAME Student Network, Women’s Network, LGBTQIA+ Network and the Afro-Caribbean Society. Find out how you can get involved on the Students’ Union website. Staff can also explore opportunities to get involved through the staff networks.
Want to speak to someone regarding equality, diversity and inclusion? Please contact edi@bathspa.ac.uk.