Report 00/33

Respond by 30 November 2000

Diversity in higher education: HEFCE policy statement

This version of the document contains the Executive summary only. You may also obtain:

Executive summary

Purpose

1. This document sets out the HEFCE’s policy on sustaining and promoting diversity in higher education.

Key points

2. Diversity is widely agreed to be a desirable feature of higher education. But some have argued that diversity, particularly institutional and organisational diversity, is under threat and that more should be done to sustain and promote it.

3. This document aims to contribute to that debate by identifying what constitutes diversity, why it is thought desirable, and the aspects of higher education where it does not apply. It also summarises the various ways in which the HEFCE seeks to support and develop appropriate diversity.

4. The main conclusions we draw are:

1. Higher education offers considerable diversity in those areas where diversity is desirable.
2. Mechanisms are in place for sustaining and encouraging diversity, which appear to be working reasonably well. But their effectiveness and fitness for purpose, both individually and in aggregate, need to be kept under review. The nature of desirable diversity will itself keep developing, and we recognise that the impact on diversity should be a test which we always apply to future policy development.
3. Many of those mechanisms depend on the willingness of universities and colleges to take opportunities to develop their own distinctiveness, and to use the discretions which current arrangements provide. That willingness is influenced by a variety of beliefs and assumptions which go beyond the remit of a funding council.
4. There are certain areas where consistency is more important than diversity; and many other areas where diversity is one objective, but has to be balanced against others (including quality, equity and cost-effectiveness).
5. We remain open to arguments that our current methods or programmes are adversely eroding diversity, or that new ways are needed to promote diversity, and welcome debate on what those methods or ways might be.

Action required

5. This document is a position statement. No action is required in response, but any comments would be gratefully received, as contributing to the continuing debate. Please send any comments, by 30 November 2000, to: