A/8.4 Equal opportunity and diversity
Contact Officer | Director, Equity |
Approval Date | 08/08/2017 |
Approval Authority | Vice-Chancellor and President |
Date of Next Review | 01/08/2020 |
8.4.1 Purpose
8.4.2 Application
8.4.3 Roles and responsibilities
8.4.4 Rights and responsibilities
8.4.5 Inclusive environment and culture
8.4.6 Knowledge and community
8.4.7 Planning
8.4.8 Definitions
Related Documents
Modification History
8.4.1 Purpose
Consistent with its vision, goals and organisational values, QUT will embed social justice philosophy and practices into all aspects of its activities. This enhances the University's core business, as well as enhancing the opportunities of disadvantaged students and staff.
QUT aims to:
- respect and protect the rights of its students and staff;
- promote a fair and inclusive educational and work environment;
- ensure its graduates possess a sense of social and ethical responsibility; and
- contribute to the social well-being of the local community, Australia and other nations.
8.4.2 Application
This policy applies to staff, students and members of the QUT community in all operations of QUT.
8.4.3 Roles and responsibilities
Position |
Responsibility |
|---|---|
|
Managers and supervisors (within their scope of authority) |
|
|
Director, Equity |
|
| University Equity Committee |
|
8.4.4 Rights and responsibilities
All students, staff and members of the QUT community have individual rights
- to be treated fairly by the University and by each other
- to study and work in an environment free from discrimination and harassment.
To respect and protect these rights, QUT will
- educate and inform members of the University community about their rights and responsibilities (QUT Staff Code of Conduct and QUT Student Code of Conduct);
- review and reform University practices to ensure they are inclusive and non-discriminatory; and
- administer grievance resolution procedures.
8.4.5 Inclusive environment and culture
The student and staff body should reflect the cultural and social diversity of the community. Therefore, under-represented and disadvantaged groups will have particular outreach and recruitment strategies, especially students and staff who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, low-income students, rural students, and students and staff with a disability.
All students and staff should experience a sense of belonging which arises from an inclusive learning and working environment which respects diversity. Therefore, learning experiences, on-campus services and administrative procedures for students, as well as career development and management practices for staff, will be fair.
With regard to equal opportunity, QUT acknowledges that treating all people in the same way does not necessarily result in fairness or equality. To promote equality of outcomes for staff and students, the University recognises that social disadvantage creates barriers to success, and that targeted attention to overcome these barriers is a necessary precursor to true equality. Thus, the University's equal opportunity activities encompass particular support and assistance measures for students and staff in equity groups at QUT.
The objective is for the pass rates, attrition rates and satisfaction levels of students in equity groups to be comparable with those of other students, and for promotion rates, resignation rates and satisfaction levels of staff in equity groups to be comparable with those of other staff.
8.4.6 Knowledge and community
As an institution whose core business is knowledge, QUT has a unique role to play in both the social justice knowledge and skills which graduates acquire, and the social justice aspects of research.
Graduates of QUT will have a sense of social and ethical responsibility, and an understanding of Indigenous and international perspectives (C/4.3). QUT courses will be characterised by content, pedagogy and assessment embedded with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ perspectives, inter-cultural perspectives, and an understanding of social justice. Students in their work integrated learning and community engagement / service learning activities should have opportunities to engage with disadvantaged and marginalised communities.
Staff at QUT will ensure that their research activities include a positive impact on disadvantaged and marginalised groups in the broader community.
The University's community engagement activities will reflect its civic responsibility and be inclusive of culturally and socially diverse communities.
With regard to public policy, the University will contribute its knowledge, analytical skills and ideas through public debate and consultancies which include a social justice perspective.
8.4.7 Planning
To give effect to its social justice policy aspirations, QUT will infuse equity considerations into its planning, reporting and accountability arrangements. From time to time, priority issues will emerge, such as alleviating student poverty or supporting staff and students who identify as lesbian; gay; bisexual; transgender; intersex; queer or questioning; asexual, agender or aromantic; or other diverse genders and sexualities (LGBTIQA+).
Training and awareness-raising programs and appropriate resourcing will be available to inspire and enable staff and students to engage with social justice activities. Reward and recognition schemes will acknowledge the equity-related achievements of staff and students.8.4.8 Definitions
Affirmative action programs
Affirmative action programs do not constitute unlawful or unfair discrimination. The University has such programs to assist various groups of people by removing barriers in employment and education which are the result of historical or existing disadvantage, harassment and discrimination. These programs are not inconsistent with anti-discrimination or human rights laws and, for some groups, are required by law and/or policy.
Related Documents
MOPP A/8.3 QUT Reconciliation Statement
MOPP A/8.5 Resolution procedures for sexual harassment, sexual assault and discrimination related complaints
MOPP A/8.8 Gender equity
MOPP B/8.1 QUT Staff Code of Conduct
MOPP C/4.3 Graduate capabilities
MOPP E/2.1 QUT Student Code of Conduct
Age Discrimination Act 2004
Disability Discrimination Act 1992
Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)
Modification History
| Date | Sections | Source | Details |
| 08.08.17 | All | Vice-Chancellor | Revised and simplified policy |
| 25.08.11 | All | Equity Director | Periodic review - No change required |
| 29.11.07 | All | Vice-Chancellor | Revised and renamed policy as part of revised policy framework for social justice (endorsed by Equity Board 23.08.07) |