I have received quite a few queries recently about the new Higher Education
Equal Opportunities Action Group that is due to be set up in Autumn this
year so I thought it might be helpful to forward this Press Release from
HEFCE.  Although this comes from HEFCE, CVCP and SCOP, all funding councils
have agreed to support this new initiative and thus it will be UK-wide.     

A consultation paper on the proposal will be forwarded to VCs at the end of
May for consideration.  As soon as it is released I will put a copy on the
admin-eo@mailbase and look forward to hearing from  colleagues!  

Kind regards

Fiona

 <<...>> 

 <<...>> 




PRESS RELEASE
Monday 17 April - for immediate release
New equality action group for higher education

Plans have been announced today to set up an Equal Opportunities Action
Group to promote equal opportunities in the higher education sector.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the Committee of
Vice-Chancellors and Principals of UK Universities (CVCP) and the Standing
Conference of Principals (SCOP) are proposing to establish the new Action
Group as a full-time dedicated office to promote equality for all staff in
universities and colleges of higher education throughout the UK. 

Wide consultations with higher education institutions, trade unions and
specialist bodies will be held over the next few months to agree the
mission, aims and programme of work of the Action Group.  The Action Group's
proposed roles are to:

*	raise awareness and profile of equal opportunities
*	develop and disseminate advice and good practice 
*	commission research to underpin policy and practice development
*	monitor progress on employment performance in the sector
*	recommend appropriate benchmarks and standards to measure progress
in institutions.

The Action Group's proposed structure - incorporating four consultative
forums - is designed to ensure that all stakeholders have input to the new
body's work.  Heads of HEIs and all 10 higher education unions would be
represented, as would personnel directors and equal opportunities officers,
and the funding bodies.

The HEFCE, CVCP and SCOP have agreed in principle to invest an initial £2.5
million to set up and operate the Group over the next five years.

Sir Brian Fender, Chief Executive of the HEFCE, said: 'The Equal
Opportunities Action Group will bring strengthened support and resources to
universities and colleges, who are already taking these issues very
seriously. This partnership between the key players in the higher education
sector will ensure that a robust approach is taken to equal opportunity
issues.'

'Equal Opportunities issues are a top priority for universities. CVCP is
determined to support them in this goal - the new Action Group offers us the
best chance to be able to work together with everyone concerned to move
forward and make real progress on tackling discrimination in higher
education,' said Diana Warwick, CVCP Chief Executive.

Ten universities are already piloting an equal opportunities advisory
service that is helping them to enhance their policies and procedures. The
Action Group will also build on the work that has been done by the
Commission on University Career Opportunity (CUCO) over the last five years,
including initiatives such as Athena and The Women's Higher Education
Register (see Notes).
 
For further information contact - Philip Walker at HEFCE on 0117 931 7363,
Poppy at CVCP on 020 7419 5407, or Patricia Ambrose or Steve Phillips at
SCOP on 020 7387 7711.

Notes to editors

1.	Athena is a project whose overall aim is to encourage strategies,
promote good practice and offer incentives to improve the access,
participation and promotion of women in science engineering and technology
in higher education. It was launched last year by the Commission on
University Career Opportunity (CUCO) with support from the UK Higher
Education Funding Councils, DTI, and CVCP.

2.	CUCO was launched by CVCP in June 1994. It has the aim of overcoming
the barriers to equal opportunities remaining in universities and ensuring
that universities benefit from selecting and developing the best available
people from all sections of the community. 
CUCO is co-funded by SCOP so that higher education as a whole will benefit
from its work. 

The Women's Higher Education Register aims to make accessible the skills and
expertise of women in higher education for the benefit of the economy and to
address the current under-utilisation  and under-representation of women in
senior positions.


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Fiona Waye
Policy Adviser
Email	:[log in to unmask]
web	:www.cvcp.ac.uk
Tel	:+44(0)20 7419 4111
Fax	:+44(0)20 7388 6256
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