EDI initiatives funded in 2024 (round 2)
We were delighted to award £66,082 in funding in 2024 to support seven EDI initiatives and interventions put forward by the Academy’s member social science societies, as part of our collaborative EDI Project in partnership with our member societies and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
An independent external assessment panel awarded funding to the British Academy of Management, the British Association for Applied Linguistics and UK Association for Language Testing and Assessment (joint bid), the British International Studies Association, the Development Studies Association, the Royal Economics Society’s Discover Economics programme, the Royal Statistical Society and the Society for the Advancement of Management Studies.
You can find out more about these initiatives and interventions below.
British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL) and UK Association for Language Testing and Assessment (UKALTA)
The British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL) and UK Association for Language Testing and Assessment (UKALTA) received funding to hold two workshops prior to their annual conferences, which will contextualise and place EDI issues at the heart of academic leadership.
To find out more, click on the links below:
To find out more about UKALTA’s work on EDI read their statement on equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.
UKALTA have a number of Briefing Sheets related to EDI considerations. These Briefing Sheets have been commissioned and created by members of the association. They are designed to be a useful resource not simply for those within the field of linguistics, but also as a short and accessible introduction to a contemporary topic or issue for a much wider audience.
To find out more about BAAL’s work on EDI read their EDI statement.
EDI Project Knowledge Sharing and Learning: Q&A with BAAL and UKALTA
Click this link to access a Q&A with the BAAL & UKALTA, in which Professor Zhu Hua, former chair of BAAL, and Professor Lynda Taylor, President of UKALTA, talk about the process of embedding equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into leadership workshops for applied linguists and language assessors.
Click on this link to access a PowerPoint presentation, which includes further information on BAAL and UKALTA’s EDI initiative, including what was learned from this and their advice for others who may wish to run a similar programme or event.
“We are excited to have been awarded an AcSS ESRC EDI small grant. We are already reaping the benefits of working collaboratively to deliver two EDI Leadership workshops specifically designed for our academic field.”
Professor Zhu Hua & Professor Lynda Taylor Chair of BAAL & President of UKALTA
British Academy of Management (BAM)
The British Academy of Management (BAM) received funding to publish and promote a Decolonising the Curriculum (DtC) Guide to provide social science educators with practical information, advice and examples to support their decolonising the curriculum efforts. The accessible guide was prepared by two members of BAM’s Executive with specialist expertise – Professors Martyna Śliwa FAcSS and Stephanie Decker FAcSS – in consultation with scholars interested in postcolonial research and pedagogy from different countries.
The authors explain that the aim of this guide is to provide questions, answers and suggestions for academics teaching across all subjects within business school curricula. It is hoped that this guide becomes a useful resource for educators to facilitate their reflection and review of existing modules and programmes and as they introduce new ones in the UK and internationally. Although the guide was developed with the needs of the Business & Management scholarly community in mind, the advice and resources it contains are applicable to other disciplines.
To find out more, click on the links below:
The BAM Guide to Decolonising the Business School Curriculum
Here you can read BAM’s Guide to Decolonising the Business School Curriculum, which was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), via a grant awarded through the EDI small grant from AcSS and ESRC.
Collection of short YouTube videos on BAM’s Decolonising the Curriculum Guide
A collection of short videos on YouTube in which BAM introduce their decolonising the curriculum guide, including topics on why decolonising the curriculum is important within the discipline, why the guide is important and how to use it.
Decolonising the Business School Curriculum – video panel discussion
In this panel discussion, held as part of BAM’s 2024 conference, the authors of the guide and representatives of BAM’s membership come together to discuss the resource.
Decolonising the business and management curriculum: An ontological modesty perspective
In this open access journal editorial, published in Management Learning in March 2025, the authors of the Decolonising the Curriculum Guide build upon this and call for further critical and reflexive scholarship of management learning and education that will help bring decolonisation of the curriculum to the mainstream of business schools’ educational activities. Writing from a position of what they refer to as ‘ontological modesty’, the offer reflections on decolonisation of the business school curriculum, along with some practical ideas for how to go about it and a call for development of a constructive conversation about decolonisation of the curriculum.
Indigenous worldviews and frameworks
Using their work on Decolonising the Curriculum, BAM have contributed to this forthcoming edited book, which offers different ways of knowing, practicing and supporting sustainability, development, inclusion, innovation and entrepreneurship. Each chapter in the book is supported by an online resource page, in which authors curate a range of additional resources, like videos, podcasts and images, that support readers to extend their learning beyond the page.
“We are delighted to present our new “British Academy of Management Guide to Decolonising the Business School Curriculum” for the benefit of the social science community. EDI and Respect are fundamental values for BAM and, as part of our mission, we seek to use the specialist research expertise within our discipline to help embed them usefully within the academic community and society more broadly.”
Professor Emma Parry Chair, BAM
British International Studies Association (BISA)
The British International Studies Association (BISA) were awarded EDI funding to implement two key aspects of their EDI strategy – 1) to improve their website accessibility for all users and 2) to monitor and support the diversity of applications to, and awarding of, BISA prizes and grants.
To find out more, click on the links below:
Equity and positive change – improving EDI in funding and prizes
Read the first in a series of articles on BISA’s EDI initiative. This article focuses on BISA’s funded work to ensure that their funding and prize processes reflect their commitment to diversity and equality, by identifying and addressing potential gaps and biases.
Improving EDI in funding and prizes – What are the challenges and how do we overcome them?
Read the second in a series of articles on BISA’s EDI initiative. In this article, BISA EDI Officer, Laura McLeod, reflects on the challenges facing BISA – and potentially other professional associations in academia – in collecting EDI data via surveys.
BISA guidance on drafting a website accessibility statement
Here, BISA use their learning from the process of improving their website accessibility for all users, funded through part of their EDI small grant fund, to provide guidance for other social science societies who may be interested in drafting or updating an accessibility statement for their own websites. This guidance has been written by Maria Young (Agile Collective) and Chrissie Duxson (BISA Communications Manager).
Q&A with the British International Studies Association (BISA)
In this Q&A, BISA Communications Manager, Chrissie Duxson, discusses the web accessibility stream of the project. Through this Q&A, BISA provide valuable insights and learnings for other social science societies who are looking to improving their own website accessibility.
“BISA has placed a strong focus on improving all aspects of EDI over the past few years, and the two project streams funded should drive us forward significantly in the areas of accessibility, equity and diversity. Both projects have transferability and scalability, and we look forward to sharing more resources with the learned society community once the projects are complete.”
Juliet Dryden BISA Director/CEO
Development Studies Association (DSA)
The Development Studies Association (DSA) received funding to run workshops with early career academics of colour to better understand their needs and generate a support network; to co-develop active bystander training for managers with the Royal Economic Society addressing structural barriers to progression; and use qualitative methods to understand EDI best practice of DSA members.
To find out more, click on the links below:
Diversity and inclusion in development studies
On this webpage, you can find out more about DSA’s vision for development studies to be a vibrant, diverse discipline offering critical thinking from a wide range of views. This includes work they have undertaken on conducting a race audit of development studies within the UK and, based on their learnings from this, how they are now engaging in further work, including the work they are doing with early career researchers of colour.
What racially-minoritised early career academics are telling us
Read this news article from March 2026, in which the DSA highlight the main findings from their funded work to address retention and progression of academics of colour.
Advancing Racial Equity in Development Studies
Here you can read DSA’s final project report, published in February 2026. This report examines the experiences of racially minoritised early-career researchers (ECRs) in Development Studies through seven participatory workshops with over 60 researchers across the UK, alongside institutional interviews and policy analysis. It reveals persistent gaps between institutional EDI commitments and lived realities.
“Thank you so much for your support and funding. This, most definitely, will help us go ahead with our EDI project and enable us to positively inform policy as well as praxis within development and academia in general.”
Touseef Mir Council member, DSA
Political Studies Association (PSA)
The Political Studies Association (PSA) received funding to support academics active in learned societies to convene and organise more inclusive networks, working groups (special interest groups), programmes and events to increase the representation, support, and engagement of historically marginalised scholars. Specifically, the EDI grant supports the delivery of PSA’s Diverse Voices PhD Student Support Programme in 2024/25; the PSA Women & Politics Specialist group mid-career development programme; and a new online EDI hub of data, new training modules and other resources through the development of the new PSA customer relationship management system and website.
To find out more, click on the links below:
Click on the above link to learn more about PSA’s Diverse Voices Programme, funded as part of the AcSS ESRC EDI small grant funding.
Diverse Voices 2024: Reflections from our first workshop
Read this blog post from March 2025 reflecting on the first workshop from PSA’s Diverse Voices programme 2024/25.
Supporting Mid-Career Academics: Reflecting on Our First Mentoring Workshop
Read this blog post from March 2025 reflecting on PSA’s first mid-career mentoring meeting as part of Women & Politics Specialist group mid-career development programme.
From Red to Blue? Why some British Indians are turning away from Labour
Read this blog post from March 2025, written by 2024/25 Diverse Voices Scholar, Zeena Mistry, Centre for British Politics, University of Hull.
Read this blog post from April 2025, written by Diverse Voices Scholar, Shodona Kettle, University College London (UCL)
What is an active bystander, and why is it important?
In this new article, published in April 2025, you can find out more about how the PSA are encouraging their members and guests to be part of their efforts in ensuring everyone feels welcome to the PSA by being an active bystander.
PSA Online Resource: Learn How to Be an Active Bystander
In this video, launched in April 2025, you can hear more about the PSA’s approach to being an active bystander.
In this video, launched in April 2025, you can examine how you might intervene when faced with uncomfortable situations
The PSA’s EDI Hub works to support its members by encouraging and equipping them with practical tools, guidance, and initiatives to help them incorporate EDI into decisions, processes, and systems and to improve inclusivity.
“We are very grateful to the ESRC and AcSS for providing funding for Learned Societies such as ours to invest in creating fairer and more diverse scholarly communities. With their support, the PSA has facilitated a new EDI network, produced innovative training films and better understands the challenges at different career stages. We look forward to sharing these resources and our learnings with the wider Learned Society community.”
Michelle Doyle Wildman Chief Executive, PSA
Royal Economics Society’s (RES) Discover Economics programme
The Royal Economics Society’s (RES) Discover Economics programme received funding to deliver an in-person event on a university site with 15–17-year-olds from state schools and sixth forms, where economics is often seen as an elitist subject, with the purpose of trying to address the issues that add to the gender and socio-economic disparities within the field of economics.
To find out more, click on the links below:
To find out more about RES Discover Economics programme, visit their dedicated website.
LinkedIn Discover Economics’ Post
Check out this LinkedIn post to find out more about Discover Economics Young Economist of the Year 2024 competition and their trip to Downing Street.
Management School hosts Discover Economics Day
Read this news article from the University of Liverpool in April 2025, in which they discuss RES’ Discover Economics Day that they hosted in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University.
EDI Project Knowledge Sharing and Learning: Q&A with the Royal Economic Society’s Discover Economics
Click this link to access a Q&A with the RES DE, in which they detail the lessons learnt through the process of creating and delivering an in-person event at a university with 15–17-year-olds from state schools and sixth forms, where economics is often seen as an elitist subject, with the purpose of trying to address the issues that add to the gender and socio-economic disparities within the field of economics. Through this Q&A, RES DE provide valuable insights and learning for other social science societies who may be interested in delivering similar EDI interventions with 15–17-year-olds.
“Discover Economics is delighted to receive funding to deliver much needed outreach activities to young people in underrepresented locations with the aim of increasing diversity in economics.”
Sam McLoughlin Senior Campaign Manager, Discover Economics
Royal Statistical Society (RSS)
The Royal Statistical Society (RSS) received funding to lead a four-month project to understand the barriers to gathering good quality member EDI data, to use the insights collected to present solutions and to report these to the wider community.
To find out more, click on the links below:
RSS report on ‘Improving Member Data’
RSS have published a report offering guidance for how membership organisations can improve their member data. The report, funded through their EDI small grant fund, sets out practical tips on the most appropriate and effective ways to collect member data, how to choose the right diversity questions, and guidance on ensuring any data collection complies with data protection regulations.
Setting out three guiding principles of pragmatism, clarity and trustworthiness, the report encourages membership organisations to take a focussed view in their data collection, to be clear and realistic about what data is needed and ensuring members have trust in the process.
Recognising that one of the biggest hurdles for membership organisations is justifying the need to collect such data, the report highlights several hypothetical uses for improved member data, with a particular focus on how better diversity focus can improve an organisation’s EDI initiatives.
“It’s crucial for organisations like ours to understand the diversity of our membership. This project will provide us with a much better understanding of the current barriers to reporting, ensuring efforts around equity, diversity and inclusion are informed by the best possible data.”
Dr Sarah Cumbers Chief Executive, RSS
Society for the Advancement of Management Studies (SAMS)
The Society for the Advancement of Management Studies (SAMS) was awarded funding to undertake a comprehensive scoping exercise so they can gain an accurate picture of the background characteristics of their members and participants. This will permit SAMS to develop an evidence-based EDI strategy, targeted actions, and interventions. More specifically, SAMS are proposing to establish an understanding of the composition of: SAMS Council; Editorial Review Board (ERB) for the Journal of Management Studies (JMS); JMS Strategic Advisory Board (SAB); JMS editorial team; JMS active referees; JMS authors.
To find out more, click on the links below:
Society for the Advancement of Management Studies Scoping Exercise Report, October 2025
This report presents findings from the SAMS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Scoping Exercise and offers an evidence base to inform future strategy, priorities and action across SAMS and the Journal of Management Studies.
“Our project seeks to better understand our current composition and participation rates, enabling the development of an evidence-based action plan to improve our future EDI profile and practice.”
Professor Ruth Woodfield Trustee, SAMS