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Diversity Fest 2022 will be held in week commencing 14 November
Abertay University has announced its award-winning festival celebrating equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) will return for a second year.
Diversity Fest 2022 features an exciting programme of free events and activities designed to promote and celebrate the diversity of the Abertay community and follows a successful first year that saw over 200 students and staff taking part.
This year’s edition will be held at the University in the week commencing 14 November and includes a series of live talks and workshops by both staff and students as well as guest lectures by several high-profile speakers. Professor Laura Serrant, one of the UK’s most distinguished Black academics in the field of nursing and an Abertay Honorary Graduate, will launch the festival with a lecture on her career to date and the importance of championing diversity.
Professor Liz Bacon, Principal of Abertay University, said:
I’m absolutely delighted Diversity Fest is returning for 2022 with a packed programme that is bigger and better than before. It’s particularly pleasing that a record number of proposals for events and activities were submitted by staff and students this year, helping to ensure that the festival represents the wide range of voices within our community. Our commitment to improving equality, diversity and inclusion at Abertay is unshakeable and providing a welcoming, tolerant and inclusive environment for all is one of our key strategic priorities.
As well as in-person and online talks and keynote speeches, other activities planned for Diversity Fest 2022 include international cuisine tasting sessions, Zumba classes featuring World music, and stalls showcasing different cultures. The week will be rounded off by a ceilidh on Thursday 17 November to mark International Student Day.
Together with other EDI initiatives at Abertay, the inaugural Diversity Fest was recognised at the 2021 Herald Diversity Awards, winning the Diversity in the Public Sector accolade. The University is shortlisted in the same category again this year and we’re also a finalist in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion category at this year's Times Higher Education (THE) Awards.
Following last year’s festival, Abertay was ranked number one in Scotland for social inclusion by the Sunday Times Good University Guide and we were also re-awarded AdvanceHE’s Race Equality Charter Award for a second time. To date, we are one of only two universities to achieve the award.
