Memberships
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Memberships
UEL are proud to champion equality and diversity. We are a member of the following networks and organisations.
Athena SWAN
UEL has been recognised with an Athena SWAN Silver award for its work in supporting gender equality. Athena SWAN is a charter managed by the Advance HE which aims to support and encourage universities to work towards gender equality. The Silver Award recognises UEL's commitment to, and success in, supporting gender equality.
Following the success of the application, the university has begun an implementation phase of the action plan developed during the submission process. UEL aims to complete the actions developed over the next 3-5 years before the award is due for renewal.
Disability Confident
UEL is a Disability Confident Employer under the government’s Disability Confident Scheme. Attaining this level 2 badge under the scheme was achieved by conducting a self-assessment and testing our commitments against a set of statements about employing disabled people. About 7 per cent of all UEL staff in 2023/24 disclosed having a form of disability or another; this figure has remained constant for about three years. We are working on further reducing our non-disclosure rate which is currently at 5 per cent (2023/24). Our disability recruitment data shows that, in 2023/24, 6 per cent of applicants with a disability were appointed, compared to 4 per cent of applicants without a disability.
UEL is continuously working on improving the working experience of our employees with a form of disability or another by reviewing our Disability Policy and carrying out various projects/initiatives. We hope to become a Disability Confident Leader (level 3) by 2028.
Race Equality Charter
UEL was recognised with the REC Silver award in 2024, making it only the third university in the UK to hold the award at the time, and the only one with both a Silver Athena SWAN and REC awards. The Race Equality Charter is managed by Advance HE. It seeks to improve the representation, progression and success of minority ethnic students and staff in higher education. The REC provides a framework that enables institutions to identify and examine the institutional barriers that exist for ethnic minority staff and students.
Following the success of the application, the university has begun an implementation phase of the action plan developed during the submission process. UEL aims to complete the actions developed over the next 3-5 years before the award is due for renewal.
Stonewall
Through our membership of Stonewall, we aim to ensure our community is inclusive of all and to ensure all lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people have the support to enable them to reach their potential. The Stonewall UK Workplace Equality Index (WEI) is how we assess and monitor our progress in promoting and fostering equity for our colleagues in the LGBTQ+ community. Having completed the WEI submission in 2023, UEL is now working on completing another submission for 2025.
We aim to continue to use the WEI as a developmental framework to build on the action plan developed in the past while identifying new challenges that we work on. 7 per cent of UEL’s staff currently identify as LGBTQ+ and our non-disclosure is trending downwards over the past four years. We hope outcomes from the WEI assessment will help us further our commitment to fostering an inclusive culture for all, especially those of the LGBTQ+ community at UEL.
Staff networks
In achieving a lot of the work, we aspire to through the charters, UEL staff networks are our biggest allies and collaborators. The staff networks serve as a forum to hear directly from our colleagues while also providing them an opportunity to drive meaningful impact across the university. There are currently five staff networks at UEL, but we are also working on a sixth one – the Parents Network, which we hope will be running in 2025. Below is more information on each of the networks.
Staff Disability and Neurodiversity Network
The University of East London's Disability and Neurodiversity Staff Network is a place for staff to meet and make their voices heard in matters relating to disability and neurodiversity issues across the institution. The network looks to provide support and representation by feeding into EDI talks at an institutional level and championing causes that foster an equitable environment for staff and students who identify themselves with a form of disability or neurodiversity.
Chairs: Sharon Gallagher (Senior Lecturer); Olivia Brambill (Digital Content Manager)
Race Equity and Inclusion (REI) Staff Network
The network provides a space and an opportunity for staff to come together and share common ideas to help improve our working environment and drive actions that will make for a better working experience for all. It is a place to make your voice heard and your contribution felt.
Chair: Georgina Cox (Associate Professor in Nursing Associates)
LGBTQ+ Staff Network
The University of East London LGBTQ+ Staff Network champions the positive development of LGBTQ+-related equality and diversity support and representation within the university. It is a network consisting of LGBTQ+ staff, supporters and champions coming together to share stories and experiences with their colleagues.
Chair: Banjo Aromolaran (Head of Department - Professional Psychology)
Women's Staff Network
The Women’s Network provides a useful and supportive networking environment that enhances career development and progression, encouraged through peer support as well as providing a safe space in which to share experiences, opportunities, ideas and concerns. Events are hosted at least once a semester.
Chairs: Nura Jamac (Assistant Secretary & Director of University Appeals, Complaints); Aisha Labefo-Audu (Partnerships Manager in Careers and Student Enterprise); Alina Vaduva (Lecturer in Business Strategy)
Muslim Staff Network
The Muslim Network is a supportive community for Muslim staff, promoting inclusion, well-being, and professional development. It provides a space for networking, discussion, and mutual support, fostering a sense of belonging within the university. The network also works to raise awareness of Islam and diverse cultural practices.
Chairs: Ayesha Awan (Assistant Secretary & Director of Student Immigration, HE Regulations ); Nura Jamac (Assistant Secretary & Director of University Appeals, Complaints); Mustansar Ghazanfar (Interim Director of Education & Experience).