The EDI Caucus is an ambitious project which is assessing the UK’s Research & Innovation (R&I) ecosystem. We are developing advice, interventions, training and support with the aim of delivering a thriving, diverse and inclusive R&I ecosystem that benefits from the widest range of talents.
As part of the project, we are looking to recruit a cohort of 40 Equity Champions to support Workstream 2, which focuses on the Research Process – click here to read more.
We looked for people from a range of disciplines and settings, those who have lived experience of minoritisation and those who don’t. Some examples of relevant experience included:
- Those with experience in successfully applying for funding
- Those with experience of non-university research or innovation settings.
- Those with experience of peer-review processes, for example in the evaluation of research bids or the editorial oversight of publication processes.
- Those who are keen to see more diversity in the R&I community
In autumn of 2023 we called for expressions of interest for people to be Equity Champions. We selected people primarily to ensure we have a broad range of representation, looking at type of institution (post-92, Russell Group, etc); geographical location (Scotland, Wales, England, N Ireland); funder covered by research (BBSRC, NERC, MRC, etc); career level; sector (private, academia, charity, government); links with stakeholders (unions, publishers, funders, professional bodies, etc); experience with large grant funding; and then basic demographics like gender and disability.
Working with our funders, UKRI and the British Academy, we are reviewing good practice, sharing advice on what works in which circumstances and why, and evaluating the impact of EDI training based on the evidence we collect. Our Equity Champions will benefit from training and advice gleaned from an evidence review and insights generated by work commissioned through our Flexible Fund (click here for more info on the Flexible Fund). They will also work with us in a longitudinal study, over 2024 and 2025, using quarterly interviews and video diaries, to help create and foster equitable research cultures in their teams.