Equity, diversity and inclusion work in higher education is under growing scrutiny, in some cases outright attack, most notably in the US. So, on this week’s podcast we spoke to two experts in EDI – or DEI as it is referred to in north America – based in the US to get back to the basics of what this work is all about and discuss how universities can protect and advance equality of opportunity for all, against a challenging political backdrop.

You will hear from:

Paulette Granberry Russell JD, the president and CEO of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education. She took up the position in March 2020, after more than 20 years as chief diversity officer and senior adviser to the president for diversity at Michigan State University. She is a leading national voice on civil rights, justice in higher education and beyond, and the transformative power of higher education.

Frank Dobbin, the Henry Ford II Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University, whose research investigates what initiatives are most effective in promoting diversity in corporations and in higher education. He has written and spoken widely on this subject, with his 2022 book, co-authored with Alexandra Kalev of Tel Aviv University, Getting to Diversity: What Works and What Doesn’t sparking widespread coverage and commentary.

You can find more practical advice and insight on how best to support a diverse, equitable and inclusive higher education sector, from academics and EDI practitioners all over the world, in our latest spotlight guide: What next for EDI? Protecting equality of opportunity in HE.