Read about the projects that have been supported by the EDI Fund so far, and note the deadlines for this year’s applications.

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) fund is a central resource of £50,000 that students and/or staff can bid into for activities relating to promoting EDI initiatives and events throughout the University.

The fund provides small grants for initiatives aimed at furthering the University’s commitment to building an inclusive culture.

There are three cohorts during the academic year with decisions being made at the start of the following term:

• Michaelmas Term – application deadline is 9 December 2022
• Epiphany Term – application deadline is 17 March 2023
• Easter Term – application deadline is 16 June 2023

Since the fund launched last academic year, we have supported several initiatives throughout the University.

Three students who took part in the Nuffield Research Placements, their parents, and placement providers Julius de Rojas (Durham University, left) and Sebastian Jaskiewicz (Durham University, right)

Examples of some of our successful applications:

• Castle Summer School – This project is a new initiative run by the secondary education division of Castle Community Action. The summer school lasted four days (11-14 July 2022), was open to all state-educated year 12 students in the North East, and aimed to make Durham University more accessible to those from non-traditional backgrounds.
• Understanding and Addressing First Generation Scholars’ (FGS) Experiences in Durham Colleges – The purpose of this project is to conduct a high-quality piece of research on students’ experiences in Colleges, with a particular focus on FGS and intersectionality to generate a robust evidence base to drive change and promote more inclusive College environments. 
• Increasing awareness of neurodiversity: A new policy for supporting a neurodiverse and inclusive student population in their learning – This new project is to increase opportunities for the positive inclusion of the autistic university population at Durham and increase awareness of the neurodiversity of our students.
• Physics Summer Research Placement – In conjunction with the Nuffield Research Placements (NRP) Programme, the Department of Physics offered engaging, hands-on research projects to Year 12 or S5 students from first-in-family backgrounds and/or socially and economically disadvantaged families on a post-16 education pathway to develop their science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) skills. If anyone would like to host a future Nuffield project or is interested in learning more, please email rob.stobie@rtcnorth.co.uk or sebastian.jaskiewicz@durham.ac.uk.

Through the Night

• Through the Night film showing – To celebrate International Women’s Day, the MAMS (Mothers and Mothers-to-be Support) network hosted a screening and panel event on Through the Night, a documentary about three working New York mothers whose paths cross at a 24-hour day-care centre. One is working the nightshift at a hospital, one is holding down three jobs to support her family, and the third cares for the children of parents for whom she is the last resort.
• Black History Month – October marked Black History Month (BHM) in the UK, with a theme for 2022 of Time for Change: Action Not Words. The BAME Network and the Durham People of Colour Association (DPOCA) collaborated to host events during BHM which were open to all DU staff/students and members of the wider DU community, including the keynote event with Professor Hakim Adi and a panel discussion with Dr Liam Liburd and Professor Heidi Mirza.

If you would like further information on the EDI fund please visit our website or email edi.fund@durham.ac.uk