LSE is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university.
With students and staff from over 140 countries around the world, diversity is integral to LSE. The School’s dynamic mix of people and ideas underpins our global reputation for excellence in the social sciences, and makes studying and working at LSE a unique and enriching experience.
In support of the ongoing success of LSE students, staff and the wider School community, LSE is committed and accountable for advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all its forms. LSE believes that diversity is critical to maintaining excellence in all of our endeavours.
We seek to enable all members of the School community to achieve their full potential in an environment characterised by equality of respect and opportunity.
Through the implementation of transparent policies, practices and procedures, the School has due regard to our duties under the Equality Act 2010, and to the protected characteristics[1] detailed in the Act. The School seeks to fulfil this commitment by ensuring that our policies, training and development reflect the principles laid down in this statement, as well as our obligations under the law.
The School is committed to embedding and mainstreaming equity, diversity and inclusion through the following overarching areas of focus:
1) Encouraging applications for study from high-quality individuals from diverse backgrounds and addressing student inter-group disparities in areas such as representation, retention, learning outcomes and graduation rates.
2) Developing an inclusive educational experience by providing curricula, programmes and learning environments that reflect and promote the diversity of our community, and elevate inter-cultural awareness.
3) Recognising the importance and value of attracting, retaining and developing talented academics and professional services staff from a variety of different backgrounds.
4) Championing effective support for staff, including promoting equitable treatment with regard to workload, effective and innovative teaching, mentoring, recognition for performance, opportunities for personal development and progression, flexible working arrangements (including for those with parental and caring responsibilities), and assistance with special needs, professional and personal challenges and difficulties.
5) Fostering an inclusive institutional culture, which provides a safe environment of respect, open-mindedness and inclusion, based on diversity training for all staff, equitable governance structures, proactive support for individuals with differing needs at LSE, enabling LSE students and staff to be consulted and represented effectively, and ensuring that people are able to be themselves while studying and at work.
6) Communicating and monitoring policies, procedures and practices, to ensure that all are inclusive and equitable, that the record of the School is understood and evaluated effectively, that information is published and made available, that good practice is shared, that complaints are taken seriously and action is taken, and that new initiatives are proposed and implemented to foster equitable treatment for all at LSE.
This policy is applicable to all students, staff, applicants and visitors. The principles of non-discrimination and equity also apply to the way in which staff and students should treat each other, visitors, contractors, service providers, suppliers, former staff and students and any other persons associated with the functions of the School.
This policy should be read in conjunction with the LSE Strategy 2020 and the LSE Ethics Code.
[1] The nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 are ‘age’, ‘disability’, ‘gender reassignment’ (now commonly understood as ‘gender identity’), ‘marriage and civil partnership’, ‘pregnancy and maternity’, ‘race’, ‘religion or belief’, ‘sex’, and ‘sexual orientation’.