Equality Challenge Unit

5.4 Summary

while many HEIs seek to promote good relations through shared space and activities, this can be difficult for collegiate institutions or those with multiple campuses where activities to promote good relations tend to be ad hoc and lack connection to an overarching policy

chaplains play an important role in promoting good relations by coordinating inter-faith activities and some projects and activities that span cultural and religion or belief stances, such as Fair Trade strategies

there are some tensions between religion or belief groups and other equality strands within higher education, particularly between religion or belief and sexual orientation

the overwhelming number of participants in the study believe that freedom of speech is valued within their own university; however, the majority of participants would not feel comfortable promoting their religion or belief on campus

6 Conclusions

The sector is currently dealing with issues relating to religion and belief in a careful and thoughtful manner with clear awareness of the law. The majority of staff and students are satisfied with the way in which their institution handles religion and belief issues. However, there are tensions and issues that HEIs and the sector as a whole may wish to examine further. It is important to recognise that institutions are likely to find themselves in the position of balancing the competing demands of different stakeholders rather than resolving issues in the way that all parties would ideally like.

The issue of access and participation notes the way in which religion and belief has the potential to shape the engagement of staff and students in higher education. An institution’s ability to make judgments about the adequacy of its provision requires appropriate data collection; there is currently little information on religion or belief collected by individual HEIs. The place of alcohol within higher education, and the different dietary needs associated with religions or beliefs, are issues worth considering.

The desire by those with a religion or belief to observe their religion or belief in a variety of different ways is frequently in tension with the logistical demands of scheduling and organising institutional activity. The provision of space for prayer, worship, meditation, contemplation and celebration is an issue that needs to be carefully managed to ensure equal access by all religion or belief groups. There are potential issues about how institutions reflect their religious foundations or religious basis in institutional processes and events, how non-Christian religion or belief celebrations are recognised by HEIs, and how religious dress and symbols are accommodated.

The overwhelming majority of respondents reported that they feel valued by their institution and that they have not experienced harassment or discrimination. However, some patterns emerged in relation to the experience of particular religion or belief groups. The research found that, although procedures are generally in place for reporting incidents of discrimination and harassment, formal reporting of incidents is infrequent. There is a variety of sources of support for students who have issues relating to their religion or belief, but fewer avenues available for staff.

The potential tensions between different religion or belief groups, and between religion or belief groups and other groups protected by equality legislation, are of some concern to HEIs. An evaluation of where the role of the HEI begins and ends in managing good relations is of critical importance for the sector in moving this issue forward. The need to defend academic freedom while addressing good relations and meeting legal obligations raises challenges for HEIs, and it is hoped the findings of this report will inform responses to these.

Many of the findings here will stimulate thinking within the context of a single institution. However, there are also a number of key issues that would benefit from further consideration at the sector level.

The need for national (and local) monitoring data – the lack of such data on the religion or belief make-up of the staff and student body in HEIs makes it difficult to link the findings of this research to more general data. The overwhelming majority of participants in the study indicated that they would be willing to provide information about their religion or belief as long as a clear rationale is given for collecting the data.

The position of alcohol in the student experience – alcohol clearly has an important part in the culture of (undergraduate) students, and this is unlikely to change as the result of any policy initiatives on behalf of the sector. However, this study suggests that for some students, particularly those with a religion or belief, the position of alcohol in many student activities acts as a barrier to participation. Many HEIs, students’ unions and chaplaincies are aware of this and provide alternatives. The sector may wish to explore how these alternatives are working, and continue to discuss the appropriate place of alcohol in the student experience.

Freedom of speech – although the majority of staff and students expressed a belief that freedom of speech is valued, some staff have concerns about how to balance the rights to freedom of expression with sensitivity to individuals’ religion or belief.

The curriculum – this provides a space for individuals and groups to encounter and explore a range of issues relating to religion and belief. Issues may emerge across all disciplines, from theology to engineering, and there may be value in further thinking about how to support teaching staff in dealing with the intersection between religion or belief and the curriculum.