EQUALITY COMMISSION FOR NORTHERN IRELAND
Public Authority 2010 – 2011 Annual Progress Report
on Section 75 of the NI Act 1998 and
Section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Order (DDO) 2006
This report template includes a number of self assessment questions
regarding implementation of the Section 75 statutory duties from
1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011. This template also includes a number of
questions regarding implementation of Section 49A of the DDO from the
1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011. Please enter information at the relevant part
of each section and ensure that it is submitted electronically (by completing
this template) and in hardcopy, with a signed cover letter from the Chief
Executive or, in his/her absence, the Deputy Chief Executive to the
Commission by 31 August 2011.
In completing this template it is essential to focus on the application of Section
75 and Section 49. This involves progressing the commitments in your
equality scheme or disability action plan which should lead to outcomes and
impacts in terms of measurable improvement for individuals from the equality
categories. Such outcomes and impacts may include changes in public
policy, in service provision and/or in any of the areas within your functional
remit.
Name of public authority (Enter details below)
The Open University in Ireland
Equality Officer (Enter name and contact details below)
S75:
Mr Gary Sloan, Assistant Director (Development)
The Open University in Ireland
110 Victoria Street
Belfast BT1 3GN
Tel: 028 9024 5025
E-mail: W.G.Sloan@open.ac.uk
DDO (if different from above):
Please indicate whether you would prefer to receive correspondence
from the Commission by:
√
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Post
Electronically
S75 Executive Summary
 What were the key policy/service developments made by the authority
during this reporting period to better promote equality of opportunity and
good relations and what outcomes were achieved?
 The key policy/service developments made by The Open University
in Ireland (OUI) in Northern Ireland were carried out against a
background of The Open University (OU) implementing its new
equality scheme in Great Britain
 As a designated public body in Northern Ireland the OUI continued to
comply specifically with the duties of Section 75 of the NI Act 1998
and Section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Order (DDO) 2006.
 The major policy development arose from the appointment of a new Director
responsible for the University’s operation across both jurisdictions in Ireland.
 The job description and specification for this post was much more
external facing than previously and as a result the University has had
more interaction with external agencies and representatives in
Northern Ireland since the post was taken up in October 2010.
 This has enhanced good relations with external stakeholders and
broadened the diversity of interest in The Open University in Northern
Ireland.
 The major service development was the successful relocation of core
staff to the University’s new regional headquarters at 110 Victoria
Street, Belfast. This has led to a more unified and integrated platform
for student and learning support in Northern Ireland.
 What are the main initiatives planned in the coming year to ensure the authority
improves outcomes in terms of equality of opportunity and good relations for
individuals from the nine categories covered by Section 75?
 The overarching objective of the University in Northern Ireland
remains the same ie. to be open to everyone through the promotion
and presentation of educational opportunity and social justice.
 The main equality and good relations initiative planned in the coming year
revolves around the statutory need for The Open University in Ireland to
revise its equality scheme to confirm, in form and context, to the revised
Guide to the Statutory Duties published by the ECNI in April 2010.
 The OUI noted has acknowledged the ECNI’s operational list and
notification timetable for this process under which each public authority
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receives 3 months’ advance notification, followed by a formal request
with a submission date of on or within 6 months.
 For the purposes of this exercise The Open University in Ireland has
been included as 1 of 15 in the Commission’s ‘tranches’ for “United
Kingdom (UK) wide authorities”
 An action plan and timetable has been drawn up and approved for the
OUI’s revised scheme
 Please give examples of changes to policies or practices which have resulted in
outcomes. If the change was a result of an EQIA please tick the appropriate box
in column 3 and reference the title of the relevant EQIA in the space provided
below:
Outline change in policy or practice which have Tick if
result of
resulted in outcomes
EQIA
Persons of different
religious belief
Persons of different
political opinion
Persons of different
racial groups
Persons of different
age
Persons with different
marital status
Persons of different
sexual orientation
Men and women
generally
Persons with and
without a disability
Persons with and
without dependants
 Continuing to ensure that OU recruitment
adverts are reaching all communities in NI
 Same as above as well as continuing to
recognise that political affiliation is not
pertinent to everyone in NI
 Continuing to ensure recruitment adverts are
placed within easy reach of all ethnic groups
in NI
 Continuing to ensure that younger applicants
are encouraged to apply
 Continuing to ensure that a ‘chill factor’ is not
apparent towards unmarried staff
 Continuing to ensure that diversity continues
to be welcomed particularly that new staff are
comfortable being ‘open’ in this regard
 Continuing to address the need to attract
more males to apply
 Continuing to ensure that the OUNI’s new
premises and systems in Belfast are fully
accessible
 Continuing to communicate more positively
the range and benefits of OU’s flexible
working policies
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 Title/s of EQIAs referenced:
 Equality Impact Assessment of The Open University’s Staff Recruitment,
Selection and Appointment policies in Northern Ireland
 Screening of impact of relocating OUI’s student support and teaching
operations to new premises.
Section 1: Strategic Implementation of the Section 75 Duties
 Please outline evidence of progress made in developing and meeting
equality and good relations objectives, performance indicators and targets
in corporate and annual operating plans during 2010-11
 Monthly presentations to all OUI staff have been given by members of
the OUI’s academic staff on aspects of their teaching and learning
activities.
 The presentations took the form of seminars in which participants were
encouraged to express their views on the presentation and associated
topics.
 This inclusive presentational approach enhanced understanding of all
aspects of learning and teaching with the OU and in relation to equality
and diversity, raised awareness about practicalities and sensitivities in
relation to students with dependants and disabilities – all of which has
helped engender a greater understanding of how to encourage good
relations.
Section 2: Screening
 Please provide an update of new/proposed/revised policies screened
during the year.
Title of policy subject
to screening
Relocation of Student
Support and Teaching
operations to new
premises
Was the Full
Was initial
Screening Report
screening
or the Result of
decision
initial screening
changed
issued for
following
consultation?
consultation?
Please enter F or R
Yes/No
R
No
Is policy being
subject to
EQIA? Yes/No?
If yes indicate
year for
assessment.
Review of these
operations
underway which
may lead to an
EQIA
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Section 3: Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA)
 Please provide an update of policies subject to EQIA during 2010-11, stage
7 EQIA monitoring activities and an indicative EQIA timetable for 2011-12
EQIA Timetable – April 2010 - March 2011
Title of Policy EQIA
None undertaken
EQIA Stage at
Outline adjustments to policy
end March
intended to benefit individuals and
2011 (Steps
the relevant Section 75 categories
1-6)
due to be affected.
N/A
N/A
 Where the EQIA timetable for 2010-11 (as detailed in the previous annual
S75 progress report to the Commission) has not been met, please provide
details of the factors responsible for delay and details of the timetable for
re-scheduling the EQIA/s in question.
Ongoing EQIA Monitoring Activities April 2010- March 2011
Title of EQIA subject to
Stage 7 monitoring
University Staff
Recruitment Selection
and Appointment policies
Indicate if differential
impacts previously
identified have
reduced or increased
Differential impacts
continue to reduce
Indicate if adverse impacts
previously identified have
reduced or increased
Adverse impacts continue to
reduce
 Please outline any proposals, arising from the authority’s monitoring for
adverse impacts, for revision of the policy to achieve better outcomes for
the relevant equality groups:
2011-12 EQIA Time-table
Title of EQIAs
due to be commenced during
April 2011 – March 2012
Possible EQIA of student admission
policies
Existing or
New policy?
Existing
Please indicate expected
timescale of Decision
Making stage i.e. Stage 6
October – December 2011
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Section 4: Training
 Please outline training provision during the year associated with the
Section 75 Duties/Equality Scheme requirements including types of training
provision and conclusions from any training evaluations.
 Attendance by OUNI Equality Officer at training/informational events
organised by The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
 Certificate of Attendance gained by OUNI Equality Officer for
attendance at Section 75: Guiding you through the New Equality
Agenda, Tuesday 5 June 2010 organised by legal-island on behalf of
the ECNI.
Section 5: Communication
 Please outline how the authority communicated progress on delivery of the
Section 75 Duties during the year and evidence of the impact/success of
such activities.
 Reports to fortnightly meetings of the OU in Ireland’s Directorate
Team
 Progress reports to the University‘s general Equality and Diversity
Committee
Section 6: Data Collection & Analysis
 Please outline any systems that were established during the year to
supplement available statistical and qualitative research or any research
undertaken/commissioned to obtain information on the needs and
experiences of individuals from the nine categories covered by Section 75,
including the needs and experiences of people with multiple identities.
 None
 Please outline any use of the Commission’s Section 75 Monitoring Guide.
 Used regularly for reference and guidance
Section 7: Information Provision, Access to Information and Services
 Please provide details of any initiatives/steps taken during the year,
including take up, to improve access to services including provision of
information in accessible formats.
 The relocation to new premises improved public access to The Open
University’s services and products in Northern Ireland. The new
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building also provided modern access facilities for people with
disabilities.
 In line with University policy information about the University is
available in accessible formats.
Section 8: Complaints
 Please identify the number of Section 75 related complaints:
 received and resolved by the authority (including how this was
achieved);
 which were not resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant;
 which were referred to the Equality Commission.
None received
Section 9: Consultation and Engagement
 Please provide details of the measures taken to enhance the level of
engagement with individuals and representative groups during the year.
 Please outline any use of the Commission's guidance on consulting with
and involving children and young people.
 A range of public body representatives and representative groups were
invited to the University’s new regional headquarters building in Belfast,
including the ECNI, colleges of further education, schools, local
university and community representatives.
Section 10: The Good Relations Duty
 Please provide details of additional steps taken to implement or progress
the good relations duty during the year. Please indicate any findings or
expected outcomes from this work.
 Introduction of monthly presentations by members of staff about their
work and contribution
 Please outline any use of the Commission’s Good Relations Guide.
 Used for reference and guidance.
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Section 11: New/Revised Equality Schemes
 If the Commission has notified you of its intention to request a new/revised
scheme or formally requested a new/revised scheme and associated action
plan, please outline below what progress has been made in this reporting
period.
 The Commission issued advance notification on 1 August 2011 and will
confirm notification on 1 November 2011 with a submission date of 1 May
2012.
 An action plan and timetable was drawn up by the OUI Equality Officer with
guidance from the ECNI and was approved by the University’s Equality and
Diversity Committee on 7 April 2011.
 A copy of this plan and timetable is appended to this report.
Section 12: Additional Comments
 Please provide any additional information/comments.
 It would be useful for the ECNI to highlight and share any particular
points of good practice arising from Annual Reports.
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Annual Report 1 April 2010 / 31 March 2011
‘Disability Duties’ Questions
1. How many action measures for this reporting period have been
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-
Fully
Achieved?
Partially
Achieved?
1
Not
Achieved?
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2. Please outline the following detail on all actions that have been fully achieved in the reporting
period
2 (a) Please highlight what public life measures have been achieved to encourage disabled people to
participate in public life at National, Regional and Local levels:
Level
Public Life Action Measures
Outputs1
Outcomes / Impact2
National3

Maintain the proportion of new disabled
undergraduate students
Sustain OU average of 3.3% each
year

Improve the experience of disabled
students

Increase the satisfaction of disabled staff
Regional4

Local5

‘Open Events’ at new headquarters at 110
Victoria Street, Belfast
Continued development of student
disability database and proactive support
- Monitor areas where
disabled students may require
more support
- Assess completion rates
complaints and study
experience
- Assess difference in job
satisfaction between disabled
and non-disabled staff
Monitoring of attendance
profile at these events
Wider use of support tools and
enhanced interactions with
individual students
Increased satisfaction, attainment
levels and completion rates
Increased job satisfaction
perceived respect, recognition and
status
Increase in student enquirers and
registrations
Increase in retention numbers and
studies’ satisfaction ratings
Outputs – defined as act of producing, amount of something produced over a period, processes undertaken to
implement the action measure e.g. Undertook 10 training sessions with 100 people at customer service level.
2 Outcome / Impact – what specifically and tangibly has changed in making progress towards the duties? What impact
can directly be attributed to taking this action? Indicate the results of undertaking this action e.g. Evaluation indicating a
tangible shift in attitudes before and after training.
3 National : Situations where people can influence policy at a high impact level e.g. Public Appointments
4 Regional: Situations where people can influence policy decision making at a middle impact level
5 Local : Situations where people can influence policy decision making at lower impact level e.g. one off consultations,
local fora.
1
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2(b) What training action measures were achieved in this reporting period?
1
2
3
Training Action Measures
Ongoing staff development
for frontline staff and
Associate Lecturers and
Local Advisers in Northern
Ireland eg:
Mental health issues
including guidelines on how
to respond to distressed
and suicidal students.
Disability Disclosure
Outputs
Monitoring and evaluation of
feedback received from staff
and students
Outcome / Impact
Enhanced understanding of, and
sensitivity to, issues affecting students
with disabilities leading to higher
standard of student support
Monitoring of numbers of
students affected
Enhanced understanding of, and
sensitivity to, these important issues
leading to higher standard of student
support
Enhanced understanding of, and
sensitivity to, this important issue
leading to higher standard of student
support.
Monitoring of disclosure rates
2(c) What Positive attitudes action measures in the area of Communications were achieved in this
reporting period?
1
Communications Action
Outputs
Measures
The training measures in
Evaluation of feedback
2(b) above enhanced
received
internal communications,
understanding and practice
in these important areas.
Outcome / Impact
More integrated and efficient practice
and enhanced student support
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2 (d) What action measures were achieved to ‘encourage others’ to promote the two duties:
1
Encourage others Action
Measures
Much more proactive
engagement with
stakeholders
Outputs
Outcome / Impact
Analysis and identification of
genuine stakeholders
Increase in visitors to headquarters
building and wider understanding of
the ethos , approach and relevance of
The Open University
2
3
2 (e) Please outline any additional action measures that were fully achieved other than those listed in
the tables above:
1
Action Measures fully
implemented (other than Training
and specific public life measures)
N/A
2
N/A
3
N/A
Outputs
Outcomes / Impact
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3. Please outline what action measures have been partly achieved as follows:
1
Action Measures partly
achieved
N/A
2
N/A
3
N/A
Milestones6 /
Outputs
Outcomes/Impacts
Reasons not fully
achieved
4. Please outline what action measures have not been achieved and the reasons why?
1
Action Measures not met
Specific EQIA of student recruitment and
admission policies in Northern Ireland
Reasons
Complexity of surveying 3K+ students
anonymously
2
3
5. What monitoring tools have been put in place to evaluate the degree to which actions have been
effective / develop new opportunities for action?
Milestones – Please outline what part progress has been made towards the particular measures; even if full output or
outcomes/ impact have not been achieved.
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(a) Qualitative
___________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation of feedback received from frontline staff and associate lecturers in Northern Ireland
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
(b) Quantitative
___________________________________________________________________________________
Monitoring and profiling of numbers of people attending ‘Open Events’
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
6. As a result of monitoring progress against actions, has your organisation either:
 made any revisions to your plan during the reporting period or
 taken any additional steps to meet the disability duties which were not outlined in your original
disability action plan / any other changes?
Please delete: Yes / No
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If yes please outline below:
Revised/Additional Action Measures
Performance Indicator
Timescale
1
2
3
4
5
7. Do you intend to make any further revisions to your plan in light of your organisation’s annual review
of the plan? If so, please outline proposed changes?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Revisions will take place in line with what the University decides to do centrally to enhance the student and
staff experience at The Open University
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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