Biases, unconscious perceptions and preconceived ideas can influence the way we make decisions, judge others and shape our organisations. It is a challenge that permeates everything from recruitment and promotion to teaching and the work environment. A project led by Professor Tomas Brage known as HUMLA, which is a Swedish acronym for “sustainable education aimed at raising awareness of equal opportunity in academia”, has been working for several years to make the risk of bias visible”.
We are now deepening this work by offering a training programme for critical friends, observers who will act as support within our organisation. By building a network of trained critical friends, we will help people increase their awareness in their own work environment.
The training consists of six half-day workshops starting in the autumn. Participants will be given a thorough introduction to cognitive and systemic bias, and how these affect academic structures. The focus will be on practical applications, and on how to counteract bias in recruitment, teaching, student assessment and the work environment.
A specific part of the training is dedicated to how bias can lead to microaggressions and victimisation – factors that have a major impact on mental health in academia.
During the training, participants will actively work on reviewing documents and processes from their own organisations. This will mean that the benefits of the course will be noticeable even while it is running.
Each faculty may nominate at least three participants, including both academic and administrative staff. These participants then form the University's network of critical friends. In the longer term, there are also plans for external engagement with stakeholders.
This is about creating a culture where we dare to acknowledge our blind spots and work together towards a more inclusive University.
/ Jimmie Kristensson, pro vice-chancellor
