EDI Aims and Objectives

The CAGE Research Centre is committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable research environment and recognise that a diversity of perspectives enhances the quality and impact of our research.

This EDI strategy links to our core principles and values and outlines our approach to embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion across our research activities, partnerships, and workplace culture. It is based on the following core principles:

• Equity – Ensuring fair access to opportunities and resources.
• Diversity – Recognising and valuing different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
• Inclusion – Creating an environment where everyone feels welcome, respected, and supported.

CAGE aims to align its work with the University of Warwick’s social inclusion strategy to:

• Increase diversity of staff and student communities.
• Make a positive change enhancing lives now and for future generations.
• Break down the economic, social and cultural barriers that prevent people from working, studying and succeeding.
• Build a community where everyone can achieve their full potential.

Context

A Royal Economic Society report (2023) ,“Who Studies Economics?” into diversity in the profession found that:

• Economics can be considered an elitist discipline, with the lowest proportion of students from low participation neighbourhoods in higher education compared to all other disciplines. This lack of socio-economic diversity is more pronounced in Russell Group universities.
• White male students from higher socio-economic backgrounds are significantly over-represented in economics.

CAGE EDI Activities

Career development

• We are committed to fair and transparent hiring practices in our recruitment of all research and professional services staff across all our projects.
• We offer mentoring and career development programmes internally and through our outreach and capacity building work.
• We will promote EDI training to all staff on the projects and provide guidance, support and knowledge sharing opportunities to early/mid career researchers.

Inclusive Research

 We promote an inclusive research environment and will ensure CAGE research is aligned with our core values via accessible training material.

• We will ensure our research follows the University of Warwick Toolkit for Integrating a Gender-Sensitive Approach into Research
• Through our innovation fund we will support EDI specific initiatives.
• We will promote the participation in EDI specific research networks (such as the Warwick Economics Wellbeing, Equality, Diversity and Gender Group (WEDGG) and The Warwick PATHWAY Programme)
• Based on evidence from the RES and CEPR we will develop conferences and events that target groups traditionally marginalised from economics. This includes a workshop for women environmental economists and the development of accessible resources and activities aimed at state school children in the local Coventry area.
• Our research communications will reflect and promote diversity.

Partnerships and outreach

• We work in collaboration with partners such as Discover Economics, the Government Economic Service and mental health organisations. This extends our reach across communities to less advantaged and minoritised groups through events, workshops, capacity building programmes and research initiatives.
• Our event organisation incorporates EDI considerations across speakers, delegates, logistics and content and we follow the Academy of Social Sciences EDI good practice for organising events.

Integration with wider policies

CAGE EDI initiatives complement the University of Warwick and Department of Economics diversity policies which include:

• The Athena Swan Charter – a framework used internationally to support and transform gender equality within higher education and research.
• The Wellbeing, Equality, Diversity and Gender Group – represented by the CAGE Research Director. A committee responsible for addressing wellbeing, equality, diversity and gender issues.
• The Warwick PATHWAY Programme - a positive action programme which supports Black researcher career development from undergraduate to postdoctoral level.
• Warwick University Social Inclusion strategy
• Warwick Economics Widening Participation and Outreach