Our BRC is underpinned by a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in research. To achieve this we have set the following objectives which are reviewed on an annual basis.
- We will continue to adhere to and support equality charters which include the Athena SWAN Charter and Race Equality Charter.
- We have committed to support new research initiatives to help measure our performance on equality, diversity and inclusion. This includes monitoring diversity data on applications and awards for each of our research and training programmes each year.
- We will also record the constitution of the committees, boards and groups that advise our work and the diversity of our own workforce.
- We will track changes over time as we strive to be more inclusive.
- We will support initiatives to involve a more diverse range of patients, public and communities and track improvements in line with our funder, the NIHR. You can read more about the NIHR EDI strategy here.
Researcher profiles
View researcher profiles of Myra Malik, James Chivenga and Jasleen Jolly.
James and Jasleen took part in Oxford BRC’s Next Generation Leaders Programme.
Diversity in Research Group
The Oxford and Oxford Health BRCs have set up a new patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) group. The Diversity in Research Group, all but two of whose members are from minority ethnic communities, aims to make involvement in health research more engaging to diverse communities. The group also has younger adults and people from the LGBT+ communities, groups that are currently under-represented in PPIE work. Find out more about the group and its members.
Watch a video by UCLH BRC about why we need people from all ethnicities to participate in medical research.
Race equality initiative
We believe our research should reflect the ethnic diversity of population we serve. To help inform the NIHR’s work to address inequities in research, the Oxford BRC took part in a three-month assessment of our delivery of race equality in health research. The exercise led to the publication in April 2022 of the NIHR Race Equality Framework.
Gender equity research
Researchers in the Oxford BRC’s core management team have conducted a number of studies around gender equity in research.
They found, for example, that linking research funding to Athena SWAN action plans was associated with a rise in the number of women in mid-level leadership positions and the proportion of funding going to women.
The have conducted research into the proportion of women authoring the BRC’s scientific papers, and have developed a tool to rank and identify new gender equity markers specific to NIHR BRCs.
Staff networks
Networks are a way to get to know people with a shared interest and to feel connected and have a sense of belonging.
Find out more about the staff networks supported by the University of Oxford’s Equality and Diversity Unit.
Find out about the staff networks and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.