Educational Leadership for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Curricula Design

Abstract

This paper dissected the role of leaders in implementing equality, diversity and inclusion in UK higher education. Since most Higher Education Institutes are now monitored on their graduate outcomes, it is important that they are inclusive within planning curriculum design so as to give their students better chances and outcomes at completing their studies and being competitive in the global jobs market. The UK law and legislation worldwide is stepping up to value inclusion and now moving away from passive social exclusion. The research used ethnographical research in order to find out if equality, diversity and inclusion is being effectively implemented in curricula design. The results are based on one organisation in the Northwest of England using data collected over a 4-year period. A mixed method research design was also devised to use in-depth unstructured interviews to tutors of HND and degree programmes regarding curriculum design on their programmes. The findings show that there has been significant changes based on social and political influences, such that leaders are therefore working within standardised frameworks as a result of legislation. The primary research confirms that leaders have more understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion and it has the potential to self-sustain the UK higher education system.