Equality, Diversity and
Information Rights Team
University Secretary's Office
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
United Kingdom
MK7 6AA
Tel +44 (0)1908 652566
The Open University Equality Scheme 2016-2020
….Summary of the main changes
Introduction
The current equality scheme will be replaced by a revised 4-year scheme in April
2016.
The essence of the scheme is not changing, in that we are seeking to further uphold
the University’s mission of Social Justice and our vision of a fair and just society;
together with our core values of being Inclusive, Innovative, and Responsive.
Additionally, the scheme seeks to continue to eliminate unlawful discrimination,
promote and advance equality of opportunity and promote and foster good relations
between those who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
We consulted extensively on our current equality scheme and therefore, in this
consultation, we are asking for views only on significant proposed changes.
Review of the 2012-2016 Scheme Objectives
A review of the objectives under our current scheme revealed that, whilst much
action has been achieved, we are still on a journey to achieving a fully inclusive
University community. Amongst the findings from our latest annual equality report,
published in January 2015, we noted that:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Our focus on student accessibility has resulted in closing the satisfaction gap
between disabled and non-disabled students
We achieved our target of 7.3% minority ethnic staff in senior management roles
We continue to have a significant gap in academic attainment between black
students and other student groups
Disabled staff continue to be less satisfied than non-disabled staff in relation to their
experience at work, particularly for our Associate Lecturer staff
We continue to have poor monitoring data in the areas of religion or belief and
sexual orientation, especially for students
f)
Our policies and guidance for some protected characteristics has improved,
especially in the areas of transgender, pregnancy and maternity and religion or belief
which were key focus areas for improvement in the current scheme
Informing our Equality Objectives 2016-2020
In arriving at the new equality objectives, information was analysed from a
significant number of sources, including the following:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Data reports on student participation, completion and attainment rates
Reports on student experience, from end of module, withdrawal and student
satisfaction surveys
Student complaints and appeals
Data reports on workforce composition and a wide range of indicators such as
promotion and leaving rates, and staff surveys
Data report on the composition of Senate and Council
Reports from University departments on progress made against equality objectives
and action plans
In addition, the Equality and Diversity Management Group and Equality and Diversity
Strategic Management Group held a joint development day in June 2015 to review
the progress made and to consider appropriate objectives for the new scheme.
The existing and new challenges identified are as follows:

The perception of ethnic minorities towards the OU as an educational provider of
choice
Data suggests that the minority ethnic population is less likely to consider the OU as
the first or only choice of University. Work is needed to target appropriate messages
to different audiences.

A large attainment gap between different ethnic groups and between disabled and
non-disabled students
The attainment gap between all ethnic minority and white students has narrowed in
the past two years, but it is still significant and the gap between black and white
students is increasing, around 30%, and larger than the average gap in the higher
education sector. Whilst the attainment gap for disabled students is less
pronounced, at around 5%, this was more than double the sector average for the
same period.

Experience at recruitment
The difference in short-listing rates between ethnic groups has reduced
substantially, possibly as a result of heightened awareness amongst staff of the
potential for indirect discrimination. However, the proportion of BME staff selected
is still not in line with the proportion of White applicants selected.
2

The academic age profile
Just 12% of OU academics are aged 35 and under, in comparison to more than 28%
in the sector as a whole. OU analysis of recruitment data shows that a high
proportion of OU applicants fall within the 26 to 35 age band, but traditionally, there
has been a lower than average shortlist rate.

Satisfaction at work
The findings of staff surveys showed a significant difference in satisfaction,
perception of ‘fit’, and a higher intention to leave, although this difference has now
reduced, particularly for minority ethnic staff. A similar situation exists amongst staff
with disabilities. Associate Lecturer staff, in particular, reported a relatively high
level of dissatisfaction in the most recent staff survey.

Representation in senior management
The proportion of ethnic minority, female and disabled staff in senior and executive
roles is significantly below both sector and wider benchmarks. For example, whilst
the gender split across the OU is approximately 65:35 women to men, this ratio is
virtually reversed in the most senior management roles.

Diversity monitoring data
Mechanisms are now in place to be able to record a much wider range monitoring
data. With regards to religion and belief and sexual orientation, levels of self
reporting have increased year on year but are still not at desired levels, particularly
for students.
The Scope of the OU Equality Scheme 2016-2020
While we strive to eliminate discrimination and enhance opportunities for all, we
recognise that everything cannot be achieved simultaneously and so priority areas
for the new scheme have been identified.
The review of the current scheme and the analysis of performance against the
existing objectives, outlined in the previous section, revealed that there are areas
where we can use resources more effectively to address inequalities across more
than one objective. For example, there is an ethnicity attainment gap and a similar
attainment gap for disabled students which might be addressed simultaneously. To
capitalise on such synergies going forward, it is proposed that objectives will be
clustered into three core themes:
1.
Putting Students First
2.
Leadership and Institutional Commitment
3.
A Skilled and Committed Workforce
3
1. Putting Students First
It is recognised that students are the life blood of the University and, unique to The
Open University, is the fact that all students can study without having prior minimum
entry level qualifications. Our mission of social justice is at the heart of everything
we do and, with this in mind, we recognise that The Open University is a place where
all students should be able to achieve their full potential. With this in mind, we need
to ensure that we are doing as much as we possibly can to address gaps in
experience and attainment across the protected characteristics.
Objectives under this theme would be:
1.a)
Reduce the attainment gap experienced by disabled and ethnic minority students as
compared to non-disabled and white students respectively
1.b)
Improve the student journey experience for ethnic minority and disabled students
from the point of enquiry through to completion of studies
1.c)
Improve equality monitoring data for students
2. Leadership and Institutional Commitment
Leaders are enablers and oversee the ongoing sustainability of the Institution. It is
recognised that there is a largely untapped pool of resource that can be used far
more effectively in the form of individuals who have a protected characteristic.
However, due to the impact of historical disadvantage, individuals from some groups
are not utilised to their best capability. In recent research, a clear link has been
established between women and/or minority ethnic leaders on organisational
boards and improvements in organisational performance.
Objectives under this theme would be:
2.a)
Increase the representation of women, ethnic minorities and disabled staff in senior
roles
2.b)
Increase the leadership potential of women and ethnic minority academics and
researchers
2.c)
Increase the diversity of the University’s governing body
3. A Skilled and Committed Workforce
If we are to be able to put students first, then that has to be underpinned by skilled
individuals who are committed to the University’s mission and values.
Organisational performance will be improved where staff feel valued and recognised
for their efforts and focus on students.
As much as we need to empower staff to develop their own strategies for
advancement and recognition, initiatives and structural changes will also be required
to address systemic issues, including the impact of unconscious bias. Consequently,
objectives under this theme would be:
4
3.a)
Develop an academic and research workforce with an age profile that better reflects
the sector
3.b)
Improve the selection prospects and satisfaction of staff across the protected
characteristics
3.c)
Improve the competence of line managers in supporting needs and talent
development of all staff, in particular those who are minorities in their particular
field of work or location
Measures of success and reporting performance
Key performance indicators (KPIs) will be developed in collaboration with an expert
advisory group, which will include members of the University’s current equality and
diversity management group and staff who have previously led equality objectives.
The agreed objectives and KPIs will be published as part of the revised scheme in
April 2016. In line with the current scheme, progress will be reported publicly on an
annual basis, either in an equality and diversity annual report (as at present) or
through the University’s main annual report.
Scheme and Objectives Management Structure
The University has recently agreed a new structure to re-position equality work more
strategically and to clarify and improve lines of accountability. The revised Equality,
Diversity and Inclusion management structure is outlined in the diagram below:
5
The Vice Chancellor, as the sponsor of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) will
appoint champions from the Vice-Chancellor’s Executive, which each person
championing one or more of the Protected Characteristics.
The Champions will then act as custodians for any defined equality objectives falling
under their respective Protected Characteristic(s). Champions will be accountable to
the Vice-Chancellor for reporting progress under the relevant objectives.
The Steering Group will be responsible for setting the rolling 4-year strategy which
will drive the aims and objectives for the equality scheme with input from the
Champions as required.
The Implementation Group will have responsibility for identifying and driving
existing work projects and developing new actions/interventions required for the
successful delivery of objectives and the KPIs.
The University’s Equality, Diversity and Information Rights team will continue as the
point of expertise and will take on a much stronger role as consultants in supporting
the business to achieve the proposed objectives under the three key themes and,
once developed, the key performance indicators.
Next Steps
If you require the Consultation Questions in a format other than by on-line survey
tool, please email strategy-equality@open.ac.uk and we will aim to provide the
questions in a format suitable to your needs.
6
All feedback received will be considered and we will publish a response against the
key themes that emerge from the consultation.
Once the consultation has been completed, the draft scheme will be reviewed by the
University’s:

Equality and Diversity Management Group

Equality and Diversity Strategic Management Group

Vice Chancellor’s Executive

Vice-Chancellor and Chancellor

Council
Once approval has been received internally and from relevant external bodies, the
full scheme will be published on the University’s equality and diversity public website
in April 2016.
Jiten Patel
Acting Head of Equality and Diversity
17th July 2015
Tony O’Shea-Poon
Interim Head of University Secretary’s Office
22nd July 2015
Reference documents
The current 2012-2016 equality scheme is published online at the following web
address: http://www.open.ac.uk/equality-diversity/sites/www.open.ac.uk.equalitydiversity/files/files/ecms/web-content/OU-EqualityScheme-V2-Full.pdf
The equality objectives under the current scheme are published at the following web
address: http://www.open.ac.uk/equality-diversity/sites/www.open.ac.uk.equalitydiversity/files/files/ecms/web-content/Open-University-Equality-Objectives-20122016-Ver2-Apr2014.pdf
The 2014 equality and diversity annual report is published at the following web
address: http://www.open.ac.uk/equality-diversity/sites/www.open.ac.uk.equalitydiversity/files/files/ecms/web-content/ED-Annual-Report-2014-FINAL-V2.pdf
7