ECU’s annual conference 2018

Practice and progress: advancing a strong culture of learning, professionalism and pride in EDI work

Liverpool, 31st October and 1st November

Section 1: Paper submission guidelines

Conference overview

2018 will see sweeping changes to the higher education sector: how it is regulated, how it is supported, and how it fits into ‘Brexit’ Britain. ECU has changed too. As Advance HE we continue to support the professional practice of those in equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

At this year’s conference we focus on ensuring a strong and resilient culture of learning, professionalism and pride in EDI work: celebrating your successes, pushing for progress, and equipping you for challenges ahead. The conference will focus on the themes of practice and progress.

Call for contributions

ECU invites submissions for individual papersfrom universities across the UK and colleges in Scotland to share experience and innovation around each of the themes.

We also welcome submissions from organisations and individuals working in other sectors where there is the potential for useful cross-sector sharing of experience and knowledge:

=Theme 1: Tools for the job

Sessions relating to this theme should aim to empower and equip delegates with new tools, skills or approaches to their professional development.

Topics could include:

–Effecting change: designing innovative equality training, successful approaches to campaigns, engaging with different audiences.

–EDI data, evaluation and assessment: using equality data for change, understanding GDPR and disclosure, learner analytics for equality interventions, embedding evaluative approaches to EDI work.

–Managing conflict: mediation and facilitation skills between different groups, discussing unfamiliar topics with confidence, case-work and complaints, understanding reactions.

–Developing EDI as a core competency: innovative practice to recruit, develop, recognise and reward staff with EDI expertise, embedding EDI into student employability programmes.

=Theme 2: Beyond the campus walls

These sessions should offer members the opportunity to explore ‘what works’ to progress diversity and inclusion in other sectors, countries, or wider communities. It could also explore the challenges of implementing EDI work beyond centralised campuses. Delegates should be inspired and informed to bring fresh approaches to their work.

Topics could include:

–Going global: international research and approaches, evidence from other education systems, trans-national education and mobilities.

–Learning from successful partnerships with community groups, charities, and local services

–Work/life balance: considering distance learning, commuter students, caring needs.

–Public vs private sector? Reflecting on EDI in different employment contexts, the public sector equality duty, equality in procurement, and ‘students as consumers’.

=Theme 3: Learning together

A chance for members to share their own successes and develop their knowledge of EDI issues, approaches and research. ECU is committed to connecting members together and empowering them to share the latest practice and progress. We welcome submissions such as:

–institutional research on equalities themes (including research which may be taking place as part of Catalyst funds, work for Athena SWAN and/or Race Equality Charter, attracting and increasing diversity projects or other projects

Note that under this theme ECU will also be providing some innovative new sessions involving delegate co-production of guidance, and helping you to take your research into the academic world – further details will be announced closer to the time.

Paper format

Papers will provide a focused opportunity for delegates to formally present on a topic or issue related to the conference theme/s. Papers should aim to give an overview of a piece of research or a project, sharing highlights of research findings, showcasing best practice or profiling an initiative. Presenters are invited to discuss new, ongoing or completed research. Each paper should last a total of 20 minutes: 15 minute presentation plus an additional five minutes for questions/discussion. ECU will group successful papers into panel sessions lasting 75 minutes.

Please note that ECU also welcomes submissions for panels of papers. This means submitting three papers around a common theme together with colleagues (these could be colleagues within your institution or from other universities or organisations). If you wish to submit a panel of papers, please use the separate panel of papers submission form.

Review criteria

Each proposal is subjected to a peer review against the following criteria:

=relevance to conference theme/s

=anticipated interest

=clarity of the proposal

=originality of the idea/approach

Submission

The deadline for submissions is Friday 27thApril 2018 at 17:00.

Please complete the submission form and send to

You will be informed of the outcome of your submission by Monday 21st May 2018.

Information for presenters

Presenters and co-presenters will need to complete conference booking by Tuesday29th May2018or we will assume that you wish to withdraw and your slot will be offered to presenters on the reserve list.

Please include all co-presenters on the submission form. It is the responsibility of the lead presenter to pass on all relevant details to any co-presenters and to ensure the session runs to time and as indicated in the proposal.

Data protection

All the information you supply on the submission form will be stored by ECU in paper and/or electronic format for the purposes of administration of the conference. It will be shared with two external reviewers. Additionally, sections of the form (eg abstracts) will be published in the conference programme and on the ECU website.

Important dates

Friday 27thApril 2018:Deadline for submissions

Monday 21May 2018: Presenters informed of outcome of review process

Tuesday29thMay2018: Deadline for presenters to have booked onto the

conference

Friday 13 October 2018:General conference registration closes

Further information

Please send any enquiries to:

Information about this year’s conference:

Successful submissions from ECU’s 2017 conference can be viewed here:

Section 2: Paper submission form

  1. Presenter details

Lead presenter details:

Name:
Job title:
Institution:
Email:
Telephone:

Additional presenter details:

Name:
Job title:
Institution:
Email:
Telephone:

B: Details of proposed paper

Title: Please insert the title of your paper here.

Abstract: Please insert the abstract for your paper here. This should not be more than 200 words, and should summarise the aims and nature of the paper. Please also consider the review criteria in the formulation of your abstract.

Please note that the title and abstract will be included in our conference programme.

Overview

Participant engagement: / Please specify if, and if so how, you will engage participants.
Relevance: / Please explain how your workshop links tothe conference themes.
Keywords: / Please supply a maximum of five keywords for your workshop.

Additional equipment

Please provide details of any additional equipment, space, etc that you require.

C: Permissions

Please tick the box if you are happy for us to tweet or blog about your session: ☐

Please tick the box if you are happy for a photographer to photograph your session: ☐

© Equality Challenge Unit
March 2018