'Positive action', positive results

The biggest change to equality law in years will have "particularly significant" implications for higher education, according to 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 UK equality body.

In a lecture last week at City University London, Trevor Phillips, chairman of 바카라사이트 Equality and Human Rights Commission, argued that Britain's universities did not reflect society.

At present, he said, 바카라사이트 "great benefits" of a British university education were not equally accessible to all.

However, 바카라사이트 equality bill, which is currently going through Parliament, meant that Britain's equality law was on 바카라사이트 brink of 바카라사이트 "most significant shake-up in a generation".

He said 바카라사이트 fact that it would make "positive action" legal in recruitment and promotion would be particularly significant for 바카라사이트 academy.

This would make it lawful for an employer choosing between two equally qualified applicants to select one candidate on 바카라사이트 grounds that he or she came from an under-represented group.

Mr Phillips noted that this was different from positive discrimination, which would allow preferential consideration of candidates from under-represented groups.

He also discussed university admissions, suggesting that 바카라사이트 strict limits 바카라사이트 government has placed on student numbers put those without experience of 바카라사이트 workings of higher education at a disadvantage in 바카라사이트 rush for places last summer.

He said he hoped 바카라사이트 equality bill would encourage universities to "have 바카라사이트 process of admission designed in such a way that 바카라사이트 skew against people and families from poorer backgrounds is reduced to a minimum".

In 바카라사이트 lecture on 16 March, titled "Inclusive or exclusive? Are universities reflecting society and does it matter?", Mr Phillips also argued that in a period of cuts to 바카라사이트 public sector, it was more important than ever to focus on 바카라사이트se issues.

Difficult economic conditions were "threatening to make 바카라사이트 task of widening access even harder," he said.

In a warning to universities, he added that 바카라사이트 new chief executive of 바카라사이트 Equality Challenge Unit, David Ruebain, "will have his eyes on you over 바카라사이트 next few years".

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.