School of Education

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

In the School of Education, we see education as transformative – not only because it can improve the lives of individual students and teachers, but also because it can help learners envision and effect positive change in society more generally. At the core of both our teaching and research practice is a commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion; we strive to place empathy, kindness, dialogue, and collaboration at the centre of all we do. Examples include: 

  • Collaborating with students to research and respond to institutional challenges associated with equality, diversity, and inclusion. For example, we have co-developed accessibility training resources for staff, communal activities to support connection and wellbeing, teaching interventions to help students overcome language barriers, and resources to help educators make their curricula more accessible and inclusive. 
  • Offering dedicated Special Education Needs (SEN) pathways in both our on-campus and online degrees, to support educators in removing learning barriers and promoting inclusivity. This teaching is informed by research at our Centre for Wellbeing, Inclusion and Disability in Educational Research (WIDER) and Centre for Social Mobility. 
  • Delivering specialist modules such as ‘Education for Diversity’ and ‘Perspectives in International Education’, which aim to explore topics including identity, positionality, intersectionality, and cultural competence. We also seek to foster conversation and collaboration across disciplinary boundaries in order to tackle wicked problems like climate change and sustainability, which threaten equality and sustainability worldwide. This is the focus of, for example, our innovative ‘Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Creative Futures’ module and ‘Schools Across the Ocean’ initiative. Much of this work is informed by collaborations fostered by our Centre for Research in Transdisciplinary Education. 
  • Over the 2025/26 academic year, we are working to prepare our Athena Swan Bronze application. This involves collecting both quantitative and qualitative data to better understand the equality, diversity, and inclusivity challenges and successes in our department; this information will allow us to develop an action plan to ensure that our work supports gender equality. 

While this list is only a sampling of our work, it nevertheless evidences our commitment to maintaining a welcoming, equitable, and ethical environment, both in the School of Education and beyond. We believe practices like these are vital to supporting not only the University’s goal of achieving a ‘greener, healthier, and fairer’ future, but also the United Nations’ aim to ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’ (Sustainable Development Goal 4 – Quality Education). 

Dedicated support for equality, diversity, and inclusivity 

Like all departments at the University of Exeter, we have members of staff who provide dedicated support for equality, diversity, and inclusivity. In additional to engaging directly with students and staff who have been affected by EDI issues, these individuals also take a lead on: reporting on emerging concerns; contributing to departmental, faculty, and institutional strategies; developing and delivering training to colleagues; and acting as general champions of EDI.  

Whilst it is our experience at Exeter University that the majority of students from ethnic minorities backgrounds thrive here, some have thrived despite racist incidents or attitudes. Therefore, we provide additional support to 'level the playing field' where necessary, and to this end, we have established the RERO role within the School of Education to support students from ethnic minorities backgrounds. (We employ the terminology recommended by the UK Government Writing about ethnicity - GOV.UK but acknowledge the problematic nature of this. Global majority is often more accurate).  

The role was initially established to support student teachers and subsequently extended to all students at the School of Education. Ruth Flanagan, our Race Equality Resource Officer, is available to work closely with students from ethnic minority backgrounds.  

The RERO role is not part of the student assessment process, and in this role, Ruth offers:  

  • A safe, confidential and non-judgmental place to discuss issues and concerns  
  • Practical support to manage issues such as housing and finance  
  • Referral to appropriate agencies for specialist advice, information and support  

Email: R.Flanagan@exeter.ac.uk 

Ruth Flanagan

The School of Education WIC officer provides direction and leadership for the development and delivery of Community and Culture strategy. Specific tasks include: 

  • Providing leadership and championing the enhancement and embedding of EDI in staff initiatives and programmes throughout the Department (in conjunction with other EDI-facing staff).  
  • Representing EDI issues, challenges, initiatives at termly Department Leadership Meetings; 
  • Working with senior leads to ensure that equality, diversity, and inclusivity are considered in all aspects of departmental work.  
  • Co-developing, reviewing, and overseeing annual strategies relating to EDI. 
  • Helping to create a supportive, staff environment for staff and students, including by escalating any concerns that have been raised about practices and experiences relating to teaching, researching, study, and other activities undertaken while in the School of Education.  
  • Promoting awareness of and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusivity issues within the department, e.g., through partnerships and delivering events, talks, training programmes. 
  • Representing the department at the Faculty and University Wellbeing, Inclusion and Culture Committees (WICC). This may involve liaising with counterparts in other departments to access and share information, and coordinating efforts for effective staff and student support.   
  • Meeting regularly with other departmental staff members to ensure good communication and that relevant action is being taken in relation to the EDI plan 
  • Working with the central EDI team, Assistant Director for Culture and Inclusion, and Associate Academic Dean for Students (Racial Equality and Inclusion) to ensure efforts are aligned. 

The School of Education WIC Officer is Caitlin Kight

Email: C.R.Kight@exeter.ac.uk 

This role has been created to foster a safe and supportive environment for all students in their Departments. The Academic Lead for Student Support (Inclusion and Racial Equality)  ALSS (IRE) for the School of Education is Ruth Flanagan.

Students should get in touch with their ALSS (IRE) if they have any concerns or need support regarding experiences of racism, racial discrimination, or discrimination against any of the protected characteristics under the Equality Act:

  • Age
  • Disability
  • Gender reassignment
  • Marriage and Civil relationship
  • Pregnancy and maternity
  • Race
  • Religion or belief
  • Sex
  • Sexual orientation

Each ALSS (IRE) has received training and can offer a safe, confidential, and non-judgemental place to discuss issues, problems, and anxieties. They can signpost students to further support and information and share the options available to them, including how to report an incident formally to the University, should they wish to. The ALSS (IRE) can also act as a liaison with students and other colleagues to help seek appropriate information and support.

More information can be found here: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/alss/

Dr Annabel Watson Senior Lecturer in Language Education in the School of Education, Dr Jonathan Doney Director of PGR School of Education, Dr Shane Glackin Senior Lecturer Philosophy, Dr Robert Herian Associate Professor Law, and Dr Sarah Cooper, Faculty Senior Tutor.  

'Good academic practice' is a contextual and culturally-determined concept. International students studying at Exeter are expected to adhere to and uphold conventions relating to independent writing, referencing, paraphrasing and integration of sources, in response to concepts of authorship and intellectual ownership which are socially and culturally constituted. The challenges of developing an original academic 'voice', and of expressing understanding by paraphrasing and synthesising are also significantly complicated when English is not a native language. This project brought together groups of international students across the HASS faculty to articulate and explore some of the particular issues and barriers that they face with respect to academic practice. It also brought together representatives from a range of university services which support good academic practice, including INTO, the Study Zone, the Library and Academic Conduct Officers, to map our current provision and consider how to improve support for international students.  The ultimate goal was to develop an informed understanding of the issues that students face and the support options that were available, in order to better target future provision and educational initiatives. 

 

Dr Tamsin Kilner (SFHEA)  Senior Lecturer in Education Practice in the School of Education. 
 
Dr Tamsin Kilner has been teaching and supporting learning in HE for eighteen years and is particularly interested in inclusive ways to develop and deliver curricula, and in meaningful wellbeing practice. Tamsin is a Colleague Mental Health & Wellbeing Champion and has learned over the last year or so that for her, wellbeing sometimes involves making very small changes that have a surprisingly large impact. This project was one of the results of that realisation. The literature indicates that neurodiverse students face greater challenges in HE, both in terms of engagement in learning and retention (see for example Clouder et al. 2020 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00513-6). They are also at greater risk of mental health and wellbeing challenges. The project involved a facilitated workshop which brought together colleagues with a range of experience of universal design for learning,  with student partners from across the institution. It sought to explore various ways in which to embed principles of UDL in a workable and 'light touch' manner, in order to enable educators across the institution to engage with this approach in session, module, and programme design.