Equal Opportunities Policy

1. In relation to students the College aims to provide education of excellent quality at undergraduate and postgraduate level for able students, whatever their background. In pursuit of this aim, the College is committed to using its best endeavours to ensure that all of its activities are governed by principles of equality of opportunity, and that all students are helped to achieve their full academic potential. This statement applies to recruitment and admissions, to the curriculum, teaching and assessment, to welfare and support services, and to staff development and training. In relation to academic and non-academic staff, the policy and practice of the College require that all are afforded equal opportunities within employment and that entry into employment with the College and the progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each particular post and the relevant salary structure. In all cases, ability to perform the job is the primary consideration. Subject to statutory provisions, no applicant or member of staff will be treated less favourably than another because of her or his sex, race, nationality or citizenship, ethnic or social origins, religion, marital status, sexual orientation or disability.

2. The students and staff of the College are very diverse in ethnic and social origin, and in many other ways. The College will meet the law's requirements for preventing unlawful discrimination, and for promoting equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different group, whether defined by sex, race, nationality or citizenship, ethnic or social origins, religion, marital status, sexual orientation or disability. The College's commitment to the promotion of equal opportunity goes beyond legal requirements, such as the Race Equality Policy embodied in this Statement. The College is a community in which knowledge and learning are pursued and supported in a spirit full mutual respect in a humane, tolerant and fair environment.

3. The College will also avoid, in the fields of employment, education and provision of goods, facilities, services and premises the use of ostensibly neutral criteria which have a disproportionate adverse impact on its members by reason of their sex, race, nationality or citizenship, ethnic or social origins, religion, marital status, sexual orientation or disability, unless such use is objectively justifiable.

4. This policy statement is supported by equal opportunities policies and codes of practice for staff and students, the collegiate University's Equal Opportunities Policy and Code of Practice (external link) and Code of Practice relating to Harassment (external link) and the College's Race Equality Policy and Code of Practice on Harassment.