Teams made up of people from a diverse range of backgrounds tend to solve complex problems more effectively [1], as long as they are prepared to work together [2]. Bringing a broader range of perspectives, experiences and ways of thinking to the table means more options are considered, ultimately leading to better solutions. Consulting a greater range of viewpoints often means that problems are solved in ways that benefit a more diverse range of people, and can have a positive effect on the overall impact of a design or product.

Additionally, in many cases, solutions intended to make life easier for one group have a positive effect on the wider community. One example of this is lecture recordings [3]. Recorded lectures make studying easier for students with disabilities which cause them to struggle to attend physical lectures. They also make it easier for students without these disabilities but who may struggle to listen and make notes at the same time, find it hard to absorb lots of content quickly, or struggle to focus for long periods. Even students who find it easy to learn effectively from lectures might find them useful on occasion, to catch up if they miss a lecture due to illness, for example.

Although the benefits of diversity are clear, both academic engineering and industry struggle with a lack of diversity in practice. In the academic year 2019-20, more than 300,000 undergraduate students [4] began higher education courses in engineering, computer science and technology-related subjects at UK HE institutes. Of these students, 69% were domiciled in the UK and 65% of those home students were white. Only 20% of all the students were female, while 0.1% listed their gender as “other”. 12% of the entire cohort reported some kind of known disability.

How do we improve diversity?

That’s where the equality and inclusion aspects come in.

Equality* is all about ensuring everyone gets a fair opportunity to develop their full potential. It’s key to creating and maintaining a diverse environment. Otherwise, barriers to participation impact some groups more than others, leading to underrepresentation of those groups.

Inclusivity – ensuring everyone feels part of their community, workplace, university or team – is also key to a diverse learning environment. It’s directly tied to equality in terms of striving to ensure everyone is able to be fully involved, and also highlights a focus on wellbeing and a sense of belonging. Groups where everyone feels included tend to perform better [5] in creative tasks. In the context of university education, inclusivity is essential to recruiting diverse groups of students and to ensuring everyone thrives, no matter their background.

What can we do about all this?

The first step is to be aware. This website is intended as a resource for creating a learning environment that’s inclusive, diverse and promotes equal opportunities. Whether you use it to shake up your curriculum or simply learn something new, educating yourself is the first step towards positive change.

The second step is to reflect. Consider what barriers you’ve faced on your journey so far, and what advantages you’ve had access to. How might your answers differ from other staff and students? We all see the world through our own eyes, but looking from another perspective can show us new things.

More details on the statistics quoted here are available in the Student and staff stories section of this site, alongside stories on how small changes can make a big difference.

*Throughout this resource, the terms Equality and Equity are used interchangeably [6] to mean dividing resources and attention according to need and systemic disadvantage. This is to reflect a higher-level decision at the University of Sheffield to title the project "Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity", despite equity being what is required in many cases.