Our Equality and Diversity Vision

Manchester Metropolitan University is proud of its diverse community of staff, students and visitors. We are committed to creating a positive environment where everybody is treated with dignity and respect.

The University aims to build a culture where:

• Fairness and inclusion are a fundamental part of everything that we do.
• Diversity is valued and celebrated.
• Good relations between diverse members of the University’s community are promoted.
• People’s diverse abilities and backgrounds are recognised and are treated with respect.
• Students from diverse backgrounds have an equal opportunity to benefit from higher education.
• Students and staff from diverse backgrounds have an equal opportunity to reach their potential.
• Benefits are maximised to the local communities that we serve.

The vision for equality and diversity supports values set out in the University’s Corporate Strategy 2012 – 2017, in particular;

• to promote diversity.
• to respect the rights of individuals.
• to promote responsible, ethical and professional behaviour.

MMU will seek to achieve this vision through the Single Equality Scheme (SES) and action plans and the key principles set out in our Equality and Diversity Policy.

How does MMU meet the Equality Act 2010?

2010/11 saw a lot of change in the equality and diversity landscape with the introduction of the Equality Act 2010. The public sector equality duty was introduced on 5th April 2011.

The equality duty is a duty on public bodies, including HEI’s and others carrying out public functions. It is designed to help HEI’s fulfil the requirements of the Equality Act by taking proactive steps to:

• combat discrimination, victimisation and harassment – see
  • information around individual protected characteristics via menu to left e.g. age, gender etc
  • MMU’s Anti Bullying and Harassment policy and advisors network
  • MMU’s Equality Impact Assessments
  • MMU’s Equality Monitoring Data
  • MMU Resources
• advance and promote equality of opportunity between different groups – see MMU’s
  • Equality Impact Assessments
  • Equality Staff Fora – see top right of page
  • Work on equality consultation
• foster good relations between people from different groups – see MMU’s
  • Diversity Events Calendar 2012
  • Diversity News and Events
  • Staff Development and Training

It aims to do this by ensuring that equality considerations are embedded into day to day work. Specific duties have recently been published which require higher education institutions to be transparent in their approach to meeting the general duty. There are three specific duties:

1. To publish information to demonstrate compliance with the equality duty by 31st January 2012 – see our 2010/11 E&D Annual Report.
2. To set and publish one or more specific and measurable equality objective, at least every four years (by April 2012) – watch this space
3. To publish information and equality objectives in a manner that is accessible to the public – see our Single Equality Scheme (SES) and action plans.