Academics and students present at national webinar exploring equality in higher education
Students and academics from the University of Chester have presented their research at a national webinar looking at how to improve equality considerations in decision making across the sector.
The research team comprising Professor Chantal Davies, Dr Holly White, Dr Kim Ross and Dr Ruth Healey from the University of Chester along with student co-researchers Chantal Worsdell, Faith Wilkinson and Phoebe Hennigan joined Dr Mel Crofts from the University of Hertfordshire to present the national webinar hosted by Advance HE.
The team has been working on a research project since January 2025 to develop a framework for the Higher Education sector to apply an evidence-based approach to understanding obstacles to effective use of Equality Impact Assessments across the higher education sector. It explores the benefits of co-production with staff and students to inform the development of an impact assessment framework underpinned by the staff/student voice.
The current UK legislative framework is considered a floor not a ceiling, therefore there is the potential for the framework to be used around the world.
This project, by the University of Chester alongside the University of Hertfordshire, was funded by the 2024-25 round of the Advance HE Collaborative Development Fund. Advance HE works with higher education institutions around the world to improve higher education for staff, students and society.
During the webinar, the group discussed their research findings and introduced their web-based Equality Analysis Framework tool for use by the higher education sector, together with a number of other outputs from the project.
Two Chester student co-researchers presented at the webinar alongside the academics - Faith Wilkinson, who is moving into her final year studying an LLB in Law and Criminology and Chantal Worsdell who recently completed an MA Education (Early Childhood) at the University and is now a doctoral student with the School of Education. Phoebe Hennigan, who has successfully completed her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at the University has also worked on the project as a co-researcher.
Chantal Davies, Professor of Law, Equality and Diversity in the School of Law and Social Justice at the University of Chester, said: “We are delighted to have had the opportunity to work with diverse voices from across the higher education sector to develop an Equality Analysis Framework which provides guidance on an approach to equality impact assessments underpinned by principles of co-production. We are excited to work with the sector to further develop this Framework as a means of supporting higher education institutions to engage in effective, equitable and robust approaches to impact assessments focusing on the staff/student voice.”
Chantal Worsdell said: “Working as a co-researcher on the equality impact assessment project has been an amazing opportunity for me, as a postgraduate researcher at the University of Chester. Working with an incredibly talented cross-institutional team has enabled me to develop new skills, widen my knowledge and reconfirm my commitment to inclusive research and practise emphasising diversity and equality through co-production principles. It has been a profoundly transformational experience for me, and I'm excited to be disseminating our findings and further developing the project alongside the team.”