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Welcome to our new academic leads for EDI

04 Feb 2026

Professor Toni Haastrup and Dr Hamied Haroon take up their roles

Headshots of Toni Haastrup and Hamied Haroon

We are delighted to announce that two new academic leads for EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) have started their roles.   

Professor Toni Haastrup, our new lead for race , and Dr Hamied Haroon, our new lead for disability, have joined Professor Rachel Cowen, our lead for gender and sexual orientation, to provide leadership, drive and strategic direction on EDI across our university. They will have a particular focus on progressing EDI through our next EDI Framework (coming later this year), our charter marks, and delivery of our strategy to 2035, and will play a fundamental role progressing equity across the institution.  

Embedding EDI is a key priority of our strategy to 2035, From Manchester for the world, which commits to creating a University where every member of our community matters, feels valued, and is able to contribute to shaping our shared future. It’s important for our community to reflect the diversity of our city, region and our global reach, and our academic leads for EDI will bring their expertise, experience and passion to help make this happen. We will be sharing more from them in the coming weeks and months. 

Thank you to Dawn and Jackie

As we welcome our new academic leads, we must also acknowledge the incredible work of their predecessors, Professor Dawn Edge (race and religion) and Professor Jackie Carter (disability) over many years.  Notable achievements under their leadership have included the Silver Race Equality Charter Award, which made us one of only two Higher Education Institutions in the UK to hold the award at the time, the Let’s Talk Disability podcast series,and countless contributions to policy changes and cultural shifts that have made our university a more inclusive and welcoming place to work and study. 

Professor Nalin Thakkar, Vice-President for Social Responsibility: 

“I would like to begin by offering my heartfelt thanks to Dawn and Jackie for the outstanding leadership, generosity of spirit and sustained commitment they have brought to these roles over many years. Through their care, and determination, they have helped drive meaningful change across the University, championing fairness, inclusion and the importance of every voice being heard. Their impact has been profound, and we will proudly continue to build on the legacy they leave behind. 

I am delighted to welcome Hamied and Toni as our new academic leads. They inherit strong foundations thanks to Dawn and Jackie’s work, and I am very much look forward to working closely with them as we take this agenda forward. I am confident they will bring insight and energy to these responsibilities as we continue to deliver our 2035 strategy together.” 

Sarah Fox, Executive Director of EDI:

“I am incredibly grateful to Professor Dawn Edge and Professor Jackie Carter for the wisdom, integrity and dedication t they have brought to advancing race equity, religion and belief inclusion, and disability inclusion across our University. Their leadership has shaped not only our policies and practices, but the culture of care and responsibility we continue to build. As we look ahead, we are immensely lucky to be joined by Professor Toni Haastrup as Academic Lead for Race and Dr Hamied Haroon as Academic Lead for Disability. Both have already made a substantial impact through their expertise, and leadership, and I am genuinely delighted that they are joining us. I very much look forward to working together as we build on this strong legacy and continue to drive meaningful change.” 

Further information