Diversity and inclusion strategies in academic recruitment

Diversity and inclusion are fundamental values for most higher education institutions and are integrated into their operations. While there has been some progress in increasing diversity among academic staff, the process remains slow and requires further effort.

Diverse academic teams are associated with improved performance, reflecting increasing skill requirements for academic professionals. Embedding these principles into academic hiring practices is essential for creating a more inclusive and effective academic environment.

This guide will explore the significance of diversity and inclusion strategies in higher education recruitment, focusing on embedding these principles within hiring practices. We will also highlight the benefits of diverse academic teams and present our top 4 strategies to promote diversity and inclusion in academic recruitment.

Importance of diversity in higher education recruitment

Diversity among faculty and staff results from fair and equal hiring practices and brings diverse perspectives to the academic profession.

While progress has been made, much work is still needed to achieve true diversity and inclusion within higher education recruitment. For instance, of the 22,345 professors with known ethnicity, only around 13% were from ethnic minority backgrounds. Ensuring diverse academic teams are vital for creating an inclusive environment that benefits everyone.

Let's look at the key benefits of having diverse academic teams in higher education:

Social responsibility and leading the next generation of talent

• Ensuring fairness and justice: Diverse academic teams help maintain fairness and equality in the educational environment.
• Reflecting our society: Academics from different backgrounds mirror the diversity of culture and support inclusivity.
• Role models for students: Diverse academics provide relatable role models to students and potential students from underrepresented groups, potentially motivating these students to pursue academic and professional goals they might not have considered otherwise.

Improving student engagement and learning

• Better student connection: Diverse academics relate to and engage with students from various backgrounds, creating a more inclusive atmosphere.
• Diverse classroom discussions: Different perspectives typically lead to more exciting and comprehensive classroom conversations.
• Preparing for the global job market: Exposure to diverse viewpoints equips students with skills needed for a globalised workforce.

Research and innovation

• Fresh ideas and methods: Teams from various backgrounds bring a more comprehensive range of ideas and research methods, enhancing research quality.
• Collaborative breakthroughs: Diverse insights promote teamwork and lead to groundbreaking discoveries.

Enhancing institutional reputation

• Attracting top talent: Commitment to diversity attracts talented students and academics from all backgrounds.
• Building solid partnerships: Diverse teams help create stronger partnerships and open new funding opportunities.

Top 4 diversity and inclusion strategies to advance academic hiring

Despite increased diversity among higher education academic staff, progress still needs to be improved. Many higher education institutions have well-defined DE&I policies within their recruitment processes, but more is needed to attract a broad range of diverse talent and inspire the next generation.

Let’s discuss five strategies to support diverse academic hiring and address higher education recruitment's diversity challenges.

1. Expand outreach and recruitment efforts

One major challenge in hiring diverse academic professionals is the limited reach of traditional recruitment methods. When universities only advertise job openings on their own websites, traditional job boards like LinkedIn, or rely on word of mouth, they miss out on connecting with a wide range of talented candidates. Broadening recruitment efforts is essential to building a more diverse and inclusive faculty.

Reaching out through different channels helps bring in fresh perspectives, enriches the academic community, and ultimately enhances the quality of education and research.

Here are some practical ways to make sure your job openings attract a diverse pool of candidates:

Attend diverse job fairs and academic conferences

Make it a point to participate in job fairs and conferences focusing on diversity. These events are great for meeting a variety of candidates who are actively seeking new opportunities.

Advertise on diverse-rich online platforms

Go beyond traditional academic spaces and post job openings on platforms that attract diverse audiences. This can include websites and forums that cater to different demographics, such as age, gender, and ethnic backgrounds.

For example:

• Women in academia job boards
• Ethnic minority networks
• LGBTQ+ community forums
• Disability advocacy sites

Utilise targeted recruitment channels

Use a variety of channels, such as social media, community groups, and open days, to specifically target underrepresented groups. For example, consider posting vacancies on women-focused academic job boards and social media groups to attract more female academics.

You can also look at advertising vacancies for academic staff on:

• LinkedIn: Target professionals with job postings and updates on your institution.
• Twitter: Engage using academic hashtags to connect with younger academics.
• Instagram: Share visually appealing posts about job openings and campus life.
• Facebook Groups: Join relevant groups to reach diverse potential candidates.
• TikTok: Create engaging videos to attract younger academics to your vacancies.

2. Revisit vacancies and job listings

Job listings and advertisements are typically the first interaction a potential candidate will have with your higher education institution, making it crucial to make a positive impression from the start. Academic recruitment is dynamic and requires careful consideration to attract the right candidates.

Revisiting your job descriptions is essential to align with the evolving needs of your organisation and diverse candidates. For instance, highlighting options like flexible working arrangements can enhance appeal to a broader range of applicants.

To effectively attract a wide range of diverse academic candidates, your job listings and advertisements should:

• Ensure gender-neutral language throughout
• Clearly state salaries to provide transparency
• Highlight cross-transferable skills valuable across disciplines
• Differentiate between essential requirements and preferred qualities, focusing on relevant skills and experience and avoiding unnecessary technical terms
• Cutting long lists of desirables can greatly increase candidate attraction and improve skill matching
• Include a ‘prefer not to say’ option for every question to eliminate as much bias as possible
• Clearly articulate your institution's policies and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (D&I)
• Showcase flexibility offerings such as flexible working arrangements and support systems
• Utilise visuals to make your listings more engaging and inclusive for visual learners

Simplify your application process to accommodate diverse learning styles and needs, avoiding unnecessary complexity that can deter qualified candidates.

Ensure your job listings include a contact form for candidates to request assistance or reasonable adjustments, demonstrating your commitment to diversity and accessibility in recruitment. This approach ensures a seamless and inclusive experience for all applicants, supporting your institution's efforts in building a diverse academic community.

3. Implement unbiased interview practices

To ensure fairness and promote diversity, it's essential that your higher education institution holds hiring decisions accountable. The way you conduct interviews, just like the way you create job listings, should clearly reflect these values. For potential academic candidates, how they are greeted and assessed can make the difference between hiring a qualified candidate and losing one who offers diverse teaching perspectives.

Here’s why this approach is beneficial and how it can be implemented effectively:

Enhancing objectivity

Having hiring decisions reviewed by more than one person helps mitigate individual biases and subjective judgments. This collaborative approach ensures that decisions are based on a comprehensive evaluation of candidates' qualifications and potential contributions to the institution.

Promoting fairness

Multiple reviewers bring diverse perspectives to the evaluation process, considering different aspects of candidates' suitability for the role. This diversity of viewpoints helps ensure that all applicants receive equitable consideration, regardless of personal backgrounds or characteristics.

Reducing risk

By involving multiple participants in hiring decisions, your institution minimises the risk of unintended bias or discriminatory practices. Transparent and accountable decision-making processes uphold the institution's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Establishing clear assessment protocols for fair and consistent hiring

Implementing clear assessment protocols involves defining standardised criteria for evaluating skills and competencies, using consistent interview questions and evaluation methods for all candidates, and ensuring that all interviewers are trained to uphold objectivity and fairness in assessments. 

Consistently improve and monitor progress

Regularly monitoring and reviewing hiring decisions allows your institution to identify areas for improvement in recruitment practices. Feedback from multiple reviewers enables adjustments to processes and criteria, enhancing the effectiveness and fairness of future hiring efforts.

Remember to only collect and store data that will be beneficial to your improvement and monitoring practices. 

4. Collaborate with a dedicated higher education recruitment partner 

If your institution is committed to attracting diverse academic talent, collaborating with a dedicated higher education recruitment agency that understands the industry and knows how to connect with diverse academic talent offers several key benefits:

• Access to diverse candidate pools: Agencies have extensive networks and know where to find qualified individuals from various backgrounds.
• Expertise in academic recruitment: Consultancy partners specialise in the academic sector and understand the unique requirements of academic roles. This expertise helps them effectively match candidates with your institution's specific needs and culture.
• Efficient and Targeted Recruitment: Working with a specialised agency streamlines your hiring process. They can create tailored job advertisements, use effective channels to reach candidates, and conduct focused searches to find the right fit quickly.
• Navigating D&I challenges: Experienced agencies are skilled in promoting diversity and inclusion. They can offer guidance on best practices, ensure fair evaluations of candidates, and implement strategies to attract a diverse talent pool that aligns with your institution's D&I goals.

When selecting a recruitment agency, consider its track record in academic recruitment, its approach to diversity and inclusion, and how well it understands your institution's unique needs. Look for agencies that not only talk about D&I but also integrate these principles into their everyday practices.

For example, at TPP, we bring a genuine commitment to diversity and inclusion across our organisation. This commitment is reflected in our proactive efforts to align job advertisements with D&I policies, ensure transparent and equitable hiring practices, and establish partnerships with organisations like Inclusive Employers, Flexa Careers, Evenbreak, and Disability Confident. 

It’s essential that a recruitment partner should echo what your higher education organisation wants to achieve and attract. If you want to learn more about the importance of diverse teams and need further advice on inclusive hiring practices, download our inclusive recruitment guide. 

Wrapping up: Embracing diversity in higher education recruitment

Diversity and inclusion in higher education recruitment are vital for enriching academic environments. Diverse academic teams enhance student learning, drive innovative research, and strengthen institutional reputation.

Institutions can attract and retain diverse talent by implementing unbiased hiring practices, expanding outreach, revisiting job listings, offering mentorship, partnering with dedicated recruitment companies, and setting clear DE&I goals.

Continued commitment to diversity ensures that higher education institutions reflect societal values and lead the way in social responsibility and academic excellence.

Elevating academic recruitment practices

At TPP, we know the importance of ensuring higher education recruitment continues to be an inclusive and diverse environment. Since 1996, we've provided excellent recruitment services nationwide, supporting clients and candidates all while embedding diverse hiring practices within our own goals. 

If you are an organisation that needs help finding diverse talent pools, enforcing inclusive interview practices, or perfecting onboarding, contact us today to discover how we can assist you.