Stages of the model
Stage One: How to scope the EIA
Stage Two: How to assess impact with the EIA
Stage Three: Embedding
Stage Four: Ongoing monitoring and evaluation
Back to the model overview
Timing: at the start of the strategy development and review process.
Scope and identify core institutional equality priorities and drivers for the strategy to include the following key factors:
Equality, diversity and access
Key information to consider should include the following:
- Institutional strategic equality priorities identified through institutional strategy development and review;
- Core legal PSED requirements e.g. the principles of ‘due regard’ to the needs of the general duty and attention to all protected characteristic groups;
- Institutional PSED reporting and priorities, including current equality outcomes;
- SFC/Government equality considerations such as equality and diversity as a cross cutting theme, specific equality priorities and widening access requirements e.g. socio-economic considerations, care experience etc.
Data and evidence
Relevant data and evidence should be referenced for all protected characteristics relating to staff and students. In many instances, much of this data will already be available and in use for a range of purposes within institutions.
Data sources may differ slightly for colleges and universities but are likely to include:
- Institutional PSED equality outcomes;
- Other institutional PSED equality and mainstreaming reports;
- Other relevant institutional EIAs where data and evidence has already been gathered;
- HESA or SFC data;
- Institutional information systems and reporting;
- Staff and student surveys;
- Widening access data;
- Relevant sector benchmarking data;
- Complaints and feedback data;
- Regional information such as population and employment data;
- Data about the potential impact of ‘intersectional’ factors. (For example; multiple identities or multiple disadvantage such as being black, disabled and female, or being an African Caribbean male from an SIMD 20 area.);
- Information specific to colleges and universities such as college Access & Inclusion strategies and university Athena SWAN and Race Equality Charter information and data.
It is important to recognise where data gaps exist and either minimal or no data and evidence is available; this should prompt consideration of how to address gaps.
Useful data and evidence sources and resources can be found here.
Partnerships and collaborations
Consideration should be given to which partners need to be involved or consulted, to ensure a range of views and perspectives are represented, both internal and external. These might include:
- Student associations and trade unions (or staff associations).
- Regional partners such as other colleges or universities, local authorities, skills development agencies, employers, schools etc.
- Internal partners including key staff from different teams across the institution, with expertise and knowledge linked to strategic work and activities and equality work and activities.
Other considerations
- Human rights considerations may be helpful in relation to particular aspects of strategy development.