ESRC have partnered with the Academy for Social Science (AcSS) on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
We have identified EDI as a priority area and this partnership demonstrates the importance of working closely with our social science communities at the disciplinary level. By working together with the social science societies that are members of AcSS, we can share resources, learning and maximise the potential to effect real and positive change. ESRC will be providing £240,000 over a three-year period to support ongoing EDI work in AcSS.
The AcSS, and the member social science societies, play an important role in developing the pipeline of researchers. They support and champion EDI within their disciplines and help engage the broader community. A working group of 14 Academy member societies and representatives from ESRC will work to identify and address gaps in the data, for example, in relation to understanding the pipeline and socio-economic background. They will also share best practices and implement positive interventions.
In February 2023, Dr Elizabeth Norman-Sargent started as the EDI Programme Manager in AcSS and progress is gathering pace. A contract has recently been signed with Jisc to provide benchmark EDI data to help the learned societies with embedding EDI into their ongoing work.
Some of the funding provided by ESRC will be used for several competitive EDI grants that the Academy’s learned societies will be able to apply for; the outcomes of which will be announced later this year. Work is also underway for a refresh of the AcSS website.