 Throughout history there has been oppression of minority groups within society. Higher education has often been seen as a liberal environment where discrimination has been lessened, although it should be pointed out that in reality higher education is not always the bastion of equality that it is portrayed as. Education will only be truly equal if all people can participate in educational experience, which is accessible to all and that acknowledges and responds to the diversity of the student body in terms of access, progression and outcomes. Higher education and society more generally has come up with various tools in the past few decades of trying to overcome discrimination and ensure these oppressed groups can take their rightful place in society such as positive discrimination, affirmative action and safe space.
Disability
Disability discrimination takes many forms, both overt, in the deliberate denial of accessor services because of disability, and covert, for example in speaking over the head of a wheelchair user. In the context of higher education, disability discrimination can arise at all levels, including the admissions process, assessment, didactic, and, in a wider sense, mobility.
Sexual orientation
For generations, LGB (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual) people have been denied the opportunity to selfdefine through a socially acceptable and legally reinforced barrier of discrimination. Even within Europe there are examples of discriminatory laws, for example in preventing schools from discussing the “homosexual lifestyle”. In this context, students leaving school for University are unlikely to have had the opportunity to express their sexuality in a positive and safe environment.
Ethnic and Cultural Diversity
Racism, whether it is overt or institutionalized, as a concept is one of the most widely recognised and socially unacceptable forms of discrimination. In society, discrimination on the grounds of ethnic and cultural diversity pervades attitudes on the streets, inemployment, in social settings and in social support and welfare provision. There is a considerable under-representation of ethnical minority groups at all levels of Higher Education.
Women
Discrimination towards women is still prevalent in society including in the current labour market provisions for women, eg career progression and an inequality of pay, the attitude towards childcare, the ideology of gender equality and the existence, and the impact of gender equality legislation. In that context of a higher education system that leads opinion in society, we observe gender related discrimination towards women students and staff members. Women students face traditional access issues such as perceived stereotypes and a lack of positive role models in all areas of their undergraduate careers. Those include application procedures, in assessments, and in the lack of flexible entry and exit points to Higher Education that family commitments can require. ESU's opinion on the matter
Equality Legislation should be seen as one of the vital steps in achieving equality. Nevertheless equality legislation alone cannot compel someone to change his or her views without being supported by proper enforcement. It creates the framework against which discrimination can be removed. That same framework then provides the support for the development of an equality orientated society although this requires a level of re-education to encourage a change in mindset. Equality Legislation may be useful in leading to social change, which removes any form of discrimination. Equality Legislation as a whole should always be framed in such a way that the aim is to create parity throughout society.
ESU universally condemns all forms of discrimination. Students are affected by overt discrimination on a daily basis arising from the effect of national laws, the actions of institutions such as universities or political pressure groups, and the activity of individuals. ESU further believes that a key to the overcoming of this prejudice is effective training for staff and students at all levels of the HE system. Mentoring schemes between students currently in higher education, and schools should create role models and expectation of those groups and facilitate their accessing higher education. In regards to gender equality in the Higher Education sector positive discrimination and affirmative action methods are among a number of methods, which can bring about structural changes concerning parity and redress under-representation.
Through the Bologna Process and other mechanisms related to higher education the principle of equal mobility should enable and support the opportunity for all individuals or groups to benefit from both vertical and horizontal mobility. It is also important to ensure that the language of Higher Education is understandable and promotes equality. This doesn’t necessarily mean that there is a lowering of standards of language but on the contrary, ease of access to the language of higher education can increase equality and quality.
Related Documents Links Contact
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
