General Terms
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A
- Active Listening
Involves giving another person your full attention and engaging with what they are communicating — without judgement or interruption. It requires focusing on the speaker, asking clarifying questions, providing feedback, and collaborating on next steps. The aim is to listen with respect and empathy, creating space for shared understanding.
- Allyship
An ally refers to a person who uses their privilege to actively support and advocate for inclusion and equity. Allies recognise systemic barriers, listen to and validate others’ experiences of marginalisation and discrimination, engage in self-reflection, and take action to challenge inequity. Terms such as accomplice or co-conspirator may be used to emphasise a more proactive stance.
- Attainment or Awarding Gap
Refers to the persistent trend in academic outcomes between different groups of students. It describes patterns in which certain groups consistently achieve or are awarded higher levels of academic success than others.
B
- Belonging
A sense of being accepted, valued, and included within a community, organisation, or environment. It reflects the feeling that one’s identity, contributions, and presence are recognised and respected. In educational and workplace contexts, belonging is fostered when individuals feel safe to express themselves authentically, are treated with fairness and dignity, and can participate fully without fear of exclusion or marginalisation. A strong sense of belonging is associated with improved wellbeing, engagement, and performance.
- Bias
Involves preconceived ideas, assumptions, or attitudes that influence our perceptions and behaviours. In the context of inclusive practice, it means approaching others with an open mind and avoiding stereotyping or categorisation. Unconscious or implicit bias refers to attitudes or beliefs that operate outside our awareness and can influence decisions unintentionally.
- Bridging the Gap
Refers to efforts aimed at reducing disparities or inequalities between different groups, particularly in access, participation, or achievement. In an educational context, it often describes initiatives designed to close differences in outcomes — such as attainment, progression, or representation — between marginalised or underrepresented students and their peers. Bridging the gap involves identifying barriers, implementing inclusive strategies, and fostering equitable opportunities to ensure all individuals can succeed and thrive.
C
- Collaboration
Refers to the process of working with others in an open and respectful way to share knowledge, learn collectively, and achieve a shared goal. It values diversity of thought and contribution.
- Collaborative Research
Is grounded in mutual respect and equality, recognising that knowledge creation benefits from the active involvement of all partners. It includes co-design, shared implementation, and equitable recognition of contributions throughout the research process.
- Colourism
Refers to discrimination based on skin tone, often within the same racial or ethnic group. It privileges lighter skin tones and disadvantages darker ones, reflecting and reinforcing broader systems of inequality.
- Critical Consciousness
A reflective awareness of the social, political, and structural factors that shape inequality and oppression. The concept, rooted in the work of Paulo Freire, involves developing the ability to question taken-for-granted norms, recognise injustice, and take informed action to challenge and transform inequitable systems. In education, fostering critical consciousness helps individuals move from passive understanding to active engagement in social change.
D
- Deep listening
builds upon active listening by adding an empathetic dimension. It involves seeking to understand the speaker’s motivations, emotions, and intentions beyond their words, fostering genuine connection and trust.
- Differential Attainment
See Attainment or Awarding Gap.
- Discrimination
Occurs when an individual or group is treated unfairly, unequally, or unfavourably because of a protected characteristic or perceived difference. Discrimination can be direct (when someone is explicitly treated less favourably), indirect (when policies or practices disadvantage certain groups), institutional (when organisational structures perpetuate inequality), or systemic (when discrimination is embedded across society). It undermines equity and inclusion by limiting people’s access to opportunities, resources, and fair treatment.
- Diversity
Refers to the meaningful representation and inclusion of people with a range of perspectives, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. It recognises that varied viewpoints strengthen learning, creativity, and decision-making.
E
- EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion)
A collective term describing efforts to ensure fairness, representation, and belonging within institutions and communities. It seeks to identify and address systemic barriers that limit participation or inclusion.
- Equality and Equity
Equality means treating everyone the same whereas equity recognises that individuals have different needs and circumstances and seeks to provide the specific support required to achieve fair outcomes. Equity ensures everyone has the opportunity to succeed on equal footing.
F
- Flooding
Refers to an emotional state where a person becomes overwhelmed, often in response to perceived threat or distress. It may help to take a short break, practise deep breathing, or pause the discussion until the person feels able to re-engage.
H
- Harassment
Refers to unwanted behaviour, conduct, or communication that violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment. Harassment can be verbal, non-verbal, physical, or written and may relate to characteristics such as race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or age. It can occur as a single incident or through repeated actions and includes behaviour that the recipient finds distressing, even if not intended to cause harm.
I
- Inclusion
Inclusion means ensuring that all individuals — particularly those from marginalised or underrepresented groups — are meaningfully involved in decision-making, design, and implementation. Inclusive practice values all voices equally and integrates them from the outset.
- Intersectionality
The term was originally coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, an American civil rights scholar, to describe the specific inequalities experienced by African American women. It is now used more broadly to refer to the understanding that an individual’s identity is shaped by multiple biological, social, and cultural factors — such as race, ethnicity, gender, sex, class, religion, sexuality, and disability — which interact to influence their experiences, opportunities, and outcomes. Intersectionality recognises that people are often affected by interconnected systems of advantage and disadvantage, and encourages awareness of how these intersecting identities shape lived experiences within social and institutional contexts.
L
- Lived Experience
Refers to the unique first-hand knowledge gained through directly encountering and navigating particular issues or forms of inequality. People with lived experience bring critical insights that inform more authentic and inclusive practice.
M
- Marginalisation
Marginalisation, or social exclusion, occurs when individuals or groups are denied access to opportunities, resources, or participation in society. It may stem from historic, cultural, or structural inequalities. Recognising and addressing marginalisation is central to inclusive practice.
- Microaggressions
The term was first introduced by Chester Pierce, an African American psychiatrist and professor, to describe the subtle, everyday experiences of racism faced by Black individuals. It is now used more broadly to refer to brief, often unintentional, verbal, behavioural, or environmental acts or comments that convey bias, prejudice, or hostility towards marginalised groups. These slights or insults may appear minor in isolation but, through repetition and accumulation, can have significant negative effects on individuals.
N
- Neurodiversity / Neurodivergence
Neurodiversity recognises that variations in brain function and processing — such as autism, ADHD, or dyslexia — are natural aspects of human diversity, not deficits. The term neurodivergent describes individuals whose cognitive functioning differs from what is considered neurotypical. It is best to ask and respect each person’s preferred terminology.
P
- Privilege
Refers to unearned advantages or benefits associated with aspects of one’s social identity — such as race, gender, or socioeconomic status — that afford greater access to power or opportunity. Awareness of privilege is key to promoting equity.
- Protected Characteristic(s)
A term defined in the UK Equality Act (2010) to describe specific characteristics that people have in relation to which they are legally protected from discrimination, harassment, and victimisation. Under the Act, it is unlawful to treat someone unfairly on the basis of any of the nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
R
- Relevant People
An alternative to the term stakeholder, relevant people refers to those who are meaningfully connected to, affected by, or involved in a project or decision. This language better reflects inclusivity and respect in engagement practices.
- Representation
The presence and visibility of diverse individuals and perspectives within a given context, group, or institution. It goes beyond numerical inclusion to encompass meaningful participation and influence in decision-making processes. Effective representation ensures that the experiences, voices, and contributions of people from different backgrounds are acknowledged and valued, helping to create environments that reflect and serve the diversity of the wider community.
S
- Safe Space
Refers to an environment where all participants feel comfortable expressing themselves, knowing their experiences will be respected and confidentiality maintained. It promotes honest, constructive, and compassionate dialogue.
- Space
In conversation, space refers to allowing others the time and opportunity to contribute equally. It involves creating psychological and physical conditions that support participation and belonging.
T
- Tokenism
The practice of making superficial or symbolic efforts to appear inclusive of individuals from underrepresented or minoritised groups. It occurs when such individuals are included primarily to create an impression of diversity rather than to enable genuine participation, influence, or decision-making power. For example, inviting a woman from an ethnic minority to join a committee or board composed entirely of white and/or predominantly male members.
- Trigger
Refers to a word, image, sound, or experience that evokes distressing emotions or memories, often linked to past trauma. Examples may include references to violence, racism, or mental health crises.
- Trigger Warning
a brief alert (written or verbal) provided before discussing sensitive or potentially distressing content. It allows individuals to prepare emotionally, step away if needed, or access support.
U
- Unconscious Bias
see Bias.
- Underrepresented Groups
Refers to groups of people who are inadequately or insufficiently represented within a given context compared to their proportion in the wider society. Individuals within these groups often face structural barriers, systemic disadvantage, or discrimination that can limit equitable access, participation, and success. In higher education, underrepresented groups may include, but are not limited to:
- Students from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds
- Students from areas with low participation in higher education, low household income, or low socio-economic status
- Students with disabilities
- Mature students
- Care-experienced students (including care leavers)
- Those for whom English is not their first language
These groups are often the focus of efforts to address gaps in access, attainment, and progression, ensuring that equality of opportunity is realised for all learners.