Governance
The EDI governance structure enables us to fulfil our strategic objectives and ensure we are well-managed and accountable to our stakeholders.
The Vice-President for Social Responsibility is the Executive Lead for EDI, reporting to the President and Vice-Chancellor.
The EDI Director, Sarah Fox, with the support of the University’s EDI Committee, has lead responsibility for the development, implementation and monitoring of the EDI strategy.
EDI Committee
The purpose of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee is to provide leadership, drive and strategic direction on EDI across all parts of the University.
The EDI Committee meets three times a year and is an opportunity for any equality and diversity issues to be discussed in a structured environment.
The group is chaired by the Vice President for Social Responsibility and is attended by a number of representatives from around the University.
- Terms of reference (new document to be confirmed)
Membership
- Professor Dimitris Papadimitriou — Faculty of Humanities Representative — Vice Dean of Social Responsibility and Inclusion (Humanities)
- Eleanor Morrissey — People Directorate Representative — Executive Director of People
- Doctor Hamied Haroon — EDI Academic Lead — Academic Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Disability)
- Professor Jennifer Hallam — Teaching & Learning Representative — Vice-president for Teaching, Learning and Students
- Doctor Julian Skyrme — Social Responsibility Representative — Executive Director for Social Responsibility & Civic Engagement
- Professor Lynne Bianchi — Faculty of Science and Engineering Representative — FSE Vice Dean for SREDIA, SEERIH Director and Senior Lecturer
- Professor Nalin Thakkar — Chair — Vice-President for Social Responsibility
- Professor Natalie Gardiner — Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Representative — Vice Dean for Social Responsibility, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
- Peter Connolly — Directorate of Student Experience Representative — Interim Director of Campus Life
- Professor Rachel Cowen — EDI Academic Lead — Academic Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Gender and Sexual Orientation)
- Sarah Fox — Deputy Chair — Executive Director for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
- Sarah Littlejohn — Directorate of Student Experience Representative — Director of Campus Life
- Sinead Hesp — Professional Services and Cultural Institutions Rep — General Counsel and Executive Director of Legal Affairs and Board Secretariat and Chair of PS and Cultural Institutions EDI Group
- Steph Danson — Secretary — Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Project Officer
- Professor Toni Haastrup — EDI Academic Lead — Academic Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Race)
- Zoe Paxton — Communications and Marketing Representative — Executive Director of Comms, Marketing and Student Recruitment
- Students’ Union Officers
EDI Operational Management Group
The EDI Operational Management Group provides a platform to discuss the administration of practices aligned to the EDI Strategy across the University. The group is chaired by the Director of EDI, Sarah Fox, and meets bi-monthly
Membership
- Sarah Fox - Executive Director Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (Chair)
- Aisha Akram – EDI Lead in the Student’s Union
- Professor Lynne Bianchi Vice Dean for Social Responsibility and EDIA ,FSE
- Kathy Bradley - EDI Partner
- Professor Jackie Carter - University Academic Lead for EDI – Disability
- Professor Rachel Cowen - Academic Lead for EDI and Chair, University Athena SWAN Self-assessment team
- Laura Cragg – Charter Marks Coordinator
- Professor Dawn Edge - Academic Lead for EDI and Chair, University Race Equality Self-assessment team
- Professor Natalie Gardiner - Vice Dean for Social Responsibility & EDI, FBMH
- Sinéad Hesp - PS and Cultural Institutions EDI Committee Chair
- Tahira Majothi – EDI Partner
- Paul Marks-Jones – Lead EDI Partner
- Professor Dimitris Papadimitriou - Vice-Dean for Social Responsibility and Inclusion, Faculty of Humanities
- Louise Pepper-Kernot – Manager of DASS and UMAC
- Julian Skyrme – Director of Social Responsibility
EDI Forum
The EDI Forum was established in February 2020. A member of the EDI Directorate chairs the Forum and will channel any issues and topics to the EDI Committee meetings on behalf of the Forum.
The Forum meets officially four times per year for the core membership with an additional more extensive networking event in the winter.
2026 Meetings are as follows:
Thursday 19 February 10:00 - 11:30
Tuesday 5 May 10:30 - 12:00
Wednesday 5 August 10:00 - 11:30
Tuesday 3 November 14:00 - 15:30
Tuesday 15 December 10:00 - 11:30 - Networking Session
Membership
- Co-chairs of the Disabled Staff Network Group
- Co-chairs of the B.A.M.E. Staff Network Group
- Co-chairs of the BeeProud LGBT+ Staff Network Group
- Co-chairs of the Women@Manchester Staff Network Group
- Co-chairs of the Parents and Guardians Staff Network Group
- Other network group leads by invitation
- Union representation from UCU, Unison and Unite
- Students Union Officers
- Postgraduate Research representation