Equality and Diversity at SOAS

Our vision for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is focussed on sustaining an environment where all staff and students achieve their full potential through an inclusive culture and community. We recognise the intersectional racial disparities in our society and our priorities reflect these concerns. Please read about our strategic directions in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2021-25 (PDF).

Governance

Equity and Accountability is a key enabler of SOAS strategic plan and accounted for as a distinct Institutional Community pillar. EDI governance is designed to embed equity across the University. Accountability for EDI sits with the Board of Trustees, who delegate to the Director who works with the Executive Board and Senior Management Team to deliver outcomes.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee

The Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee is a sub-committee of Senate with the following responsibilities:

Oversee the implementation of SOAS EDI strategy and ensure its alignment with other strategies
Monitor and review SOAS performance across a range of equality, diversity, and inclusion measures
Consider strategic planning and policy development matters relating to equality and diversity and make recommendations to Academic Board and other committees as appropriate
Hold EDI function leads accountable for delivery of EDI outcomes through regular reports. Commission and provide scrutiny to data, evidence and reports relating to equality, diversity, inclusion
Oversee and approve equality submissions for accreditation and benchmarking

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Network

The EDI Network is a space to discuss and develop actions to make SOAS a more inclusive, equitable place to work and study. The network, which is open to staff and students, meets termly based on the following objectives:

Actively promote equality and diversity across the University
Engage with ongoing EDI concerns facing staff and students and support campaigns
Make appropriate recommendations to the EDI Committee to ensure accountability

Useful Links

Equality work at SOAS

Race and Belonging

This module offers a general introduction to race, racism and racial inequalities and the intersections with gender and class. At the end of the module students will understand the manifestations of racial inequalities and how we work to transform systems of inequality and exclusion.

This is an important introductory and grounding module for all first year undergraduate and post graduate students at SOAS.

Sign up for the module through BLE

Worldmaking Beyond SOAS

Worldmaking Beyond SOAS is a flagship initiative of the Equity and Accountability unit launched in 2022 that builds a body of collaborative work and learning to catalyses community, and imagination around what racially just futures look like beyond SOAS.

This work is premised on the fact that Black, Indigenous, racial, feminist, labour and other radical social movements have been critical to working towards new visions of racially just worlds. The innovation and knowledge production that takes place beyond the academy is key to building a just and equitable future, and so it is essential that we forge new relationships and strengthen our exchange to build collective expertise and strategies to combat structural oppression.

Discover Worldmaking Beyond SOAS projects

*Trans Non-Binary and Intersex Policy

SOAS worked with Gendered Intelligence to develop a *Trans, Non-binary, and Intersex policy for all staff and students that was launched in November 2022. This policy replaces an outdated framework and was influenced by the work of *Trans Dignity, a student campaign. The implementation of the policy is ongoing.

Useful links

Thought Leadership Series

The thought leadership series cultivates an intellectual community for learning, unlearning and reflection on the contemporary challenges that inform the need for EDI work.

See some of our events:

Equity and Accountability Newsletter

This quarterly newsletter provides updates on all our actions, campaigns, events, and progress on our collective commitments to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion.