Edinburgh Napier University

Stream Leads: Mania Moysidou and Wendy Wu 

Aim: The importance of embedding Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in higher education, research and academic settings in general cannot be overstated. However, EDI-focused studies, projects and interventions have the capacity to create real, systemic change in society. Making a positive impact on different stakeholders, including academia, industries, local communities and underrepresented groups is fundamental. Through collaborative research, public engagement, sharing of best practices and evidence-based approaches that critically engage with EDI, tangible outcomes that foster real change in policy and practice can be achieved.

This stream aims to illustrate EDI-informed interventions, programmes and research approaches that focus on practical outcomes and impacts.

Contributions and Topics: We invite contributions from staff, students and alumni on relevant topics, including:

• Evidence-based interventions to address systemic inequalities
• Case studies of successful EDI programmes in academic and non-academic settings
• Impact assessments of EDI research on policy and practice
• Community-engaged research approaches for promoting EDI
• Practical support tools and resources developed to foster inclusive environments

Presentation formats: We welcome diverse presentation formats! Share your research and insights in a way that best suits your work.  Options include:

• Traditional formats: Research presentations, EDI-in-action case studies, posters.
• Quick presentations: Lightning talks.
• Innovative approaches: We encourage you to think outside the box! How can you showcase your work in a way that reflects inclusive design?

Stream Leads: Professor Max Chipulu and Maura Sheehan

Aim: Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) are not mere add-ons; they are critical factors that can fundamentally shape every stage of the research and development process, as well as professional practice. From the outset—defining strategic priorities, aims, desired outcomes, and anticipated impact—to the fundamentals of theory building, question formulation, methodological design, and the interpretation of findings, EDI considerations should be woven into the very fabric of our work. By proactively embedding EDI, we can not only avoid many potential pitfalls but also unlock innovative ideas and opportunities that might otherwise remain hidden.

This stream aims to showcase and enhance EDI-informed research design and practice across all disciplines at ENU.

Contributions and Topics: We invite contributions from staff, students and alumni on relevant topics, including:

• Inclusive research design and methods
• The role of EDI in shaping professional practice
• Engaging diverse communities throughout the entire lifecycle of research and professional practice
• Addressing biases in research and professional practice
• EDI-driven research and professional practice ethics
• Case studies of EDI informed research and professional practice

Presentation formats: We welcome diverse presentation formats! Share your research and insights in a way that best suits your work. Options include:

• Traditional formats: Research presentations, EDI-in-action case studies, posters.
• Quick presentations: Lightning talks.
• Innovative approaches: We encourage you to think outside the box! How can you showcase your work in a way that reflects inclusive design?

Stream Leads: Dr Jackie Brodie, Dr Patrick Harte, Dr Sarah Borthwick-Saddler, and Dr Tereza Kunertova 

Aim:  This stream of the conference offers an opportunity to share the outcomes of EDI projects and research related to higher education, supporting ENU’s ambition to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all students, staff, and alumni. By focusing this stream on higher education, we can co-create a shared understanding of how to support everyone to feel valued and respected, regardless of their background, fostering learning environments free from discrimination and bias. We invite submissions that present research, intervention projects and workshops. Presentations should seek to provide opportunities for discussion and encourage meaningful dialogue, helping us advance EDI goals to build more inclusive learning communities. Together, we can make Universities a place where everyone can succeed and feel they belong.

This stream aims to explore EDI's role in creating inclusive and equitable learning environments.

Contributions and Topics: We invite research and project contributions from staff, students and alumni on relevant related topics, including:

1. Creating inclusive learning environments and implementing applied assessment approaches.
2. Enhancing and embedding opportunities for student success and engagement
3. Diversifying and globalising educational content
4. Fostering a ‘Sense of Belonging’ within Higher Education Institutions.
5. Exploring Intersectionality within learning environments.
6. Engaging with diverse communities and building inclusive partnerships.

Presentation formats: We welcome diverse presentation formats! Share your research and projects in a way that best suits your work.  Options include:

• Standard Presentations (in person, online or recorded), posters, workshops, panel talks and lightning talks.
• Innovative approaches: We encourage you to be creative with your presentation if you wish to be. We will discuss with you after your presentation is accepted about your presentation requirements.

Stream Lead: Dr Tereza Kunertova 

Aim:  The primary objective of this stream is to examine the influence of EDI initiatives on organizational structures, policy frameworks, and community cohesion. It should provide a platform for sharing innovative approaches, practical challenges, and success stories that demonstrate EDI’s role in shaping more inclusive, equitable, and productive environments.

This stream aims to explore EDI's role in creating inclusive and equitable working environments. 

Contributions and Topics: We invite research and project contributions from staff, students and alumni on relevant related topics, including, but not only: 

1. Creating Inclusive Workplace Cultures: Contributions in this area can explore practices that foster respect, belonging, and inclusion in the workplace. Topics might include strategies for promoting psychological safety, initiatives to reduce bias, and the impact of diversity on team dynamics and performance.
2. EDI in Leadership and Decision-Making: Contributions in this area can explore how diverse leadership teams can drive better decision-making, innovation, and organizational resilience. This theme may also encompass strategies for developing a diverse pipeline of leaders and creating transparent, inclusive governance structures.
3. The Role of Policy in Advancing EDI: Contributions in this area can explore how policy, both within organizations and at governmental levels, can support EDI goals. Contributions might address policy design, (lack or surplus of) regulatory compliance, and the impact of inclusive policies on various stakeholders. 
4. Community Engagement and EDI: Contributions in this area can explore how EDI initiatives extend beyond the workplace to shape the broader community, encouraging discussions on community outreach, partnerships, and social programs that enhance access, equity, and cultural understanding.

Presentation formats: We welcome diverse presentation formats! Share your research and projects in a way that best suits your work.  Options include: 

• Standard Presentations (in person, online or recorded), posters, workshops, panel talks and lightning talks. 

Stream Lead: Dr Paolo Gerli

Aim: Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in the digital age

In the digital era, the rapid diffusion of digital technologies is posing new challenges as well as opening new opportunities for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). On the one hand, existing socio-economic inequalities are exacerbated by disparities in the access to digital technologies, while the lack of diversity in the tech sector is undermining the extent to which these technologies can be truly inclusive and responsive to the needs of diverse users’ groups. On the other hand, digital technologies are also being successfully leveraged to enhance social inclusion and equality, for example by enabling remote communities to access knowledge and essential services (such as education and healthcare), or by creating new opportunities for the socio-economic inclusion of disadvantaged groups.

This stream aims to showcase and enhance research and practice across all ENU faculties, to foster multidisciplinary debates on how digital transformation can be harnessed to advance EDI at organisational and societal levels. We seek contributions on both the challenges and opportunities associated with the rapid diffusion of digital technologies, covering multiple aspects (technical, socio-legal, managerial, ethical, etc.) of EDI in the digital age.

Contributions and Topics: We invite contributions from staff, students and alumni on relevant topics, including: 

• Digital divides, digital inequalities and discriminations in digital spaces (e.g., inequal access to digital technologies, gaps in digital skills, biases in digital services, etc.)
• The design of inclusive technologies (e.g., fair and responsible AI systems, the development of user-centred devices and platforms, strategies to mitigate biases in data-driven applications, etc.)

• Diversity and inclusion in digital sectors (e.g. the gender divide in the tech sector, geopolitical imbalances in digital ecosystems, etc.)
• Policies and practices for inclusive digital transformations (e.g. human resources practices to boost diversity in the tech sector, participatory processes and methods for the co-design of digital services, etc.)
• Digital technologies as drivers of equality and inclusion (e.g., the potential of digital entrepreneurship for the emancipation of disadvantaged groups, digital platforms and services for the inclusion of marginalised communities, etc.)
• Digital technologies as enablers of EDI practices and policies (e.g., workers-owned platforms, digital applications for community participation, digital services for remote communities, etc.)

Presentation formats: We welcome diverse presentation formats! Share your research and insights in a way that best suits your work.  Options include: 

• Traditional formats: Research presentations, EDI-in-action case studies, posters. 

• Quick presentations: Lightning talks. 

• Innovative approaches: We encourage you to think outside the box! How can you showcase your work in a way that reflects inclusive design? 

Stream Coordinator: Professor Max Chipulu 

Aim: This stream offers a unique blend of professional development workshops designed to enhance EDI competencies across various domains relevant to ENU communities, including research, the workplace and society at large. Participants can learn about and participate in critical discussions of the intricacies of EDI-inclusive research methodologies, acquire relevant skills for building thriving inclusive workplaces, and cultivate personal skills for promoting EDI in society.

Workshops:

• Workshop 1: Doing EDI-informed Research
  • Workshop Leaders: TBD
  • Description: This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of how to integrate EDI considerations into every stage of the research process. Participants will learn about inclusive research design, data collection methods, strategies for engaging diverse communities, and approaches to addressing bias in research analysis.
  • Learning Outcomes:
    • Understand the importance of EDI in research.
    • Develop skills in inclusive research design and methodologies.
    • Learn strategies for engaging diverse communities in research.
    • Gain insights into addressing bias in research and analysis.
• Workshop 2: Making a difference at work
  • Workshop Leaders: TBD
  • Description: This workshop will focus on practical strategies for promoting EDI in workplace settings. Participants will explore topics such as inclusive leadership, building a culture of belonging, addressing microaggressions, and developing effective EDI policies.
  • Learning Outcomes:
    • Develop skills in inclusive leadership and decision-making.
    • Learn strategies for creating an inclusive workplace culture.
    • Gain tools for addressing microaggressions and unconscious bias.
    • Understand the role of policy in advancing workplace EDI.
• Workshop 3: Being an engaged citizen

• Workshop Leaders: TBD
• Description: This workshop will encourage self-reflection and personal growth in relation to EDI. Participants will explore their own biases, learn about allyship, and develop skills for promoting EDI in their communities.
• Learning Outcomes:

• Increase self-awareness of personal biases.
• Develop skills in allyship and advocacy.
• Learn strategies for promoting EDI in personal and community spheres.
• Gain confidence in challenging discrimination and inequality.

Presentation Formats:

• Interactive Workshops: Each workshop will be highly interactive, incorporating group discussions, case studies, and practical exercises.

Target Audience:

• Researchers
• Staff
• Students
• Alumni
• Community Members