Equal Opportunities: Key Challenge Equality Impact Assessment: What is EIA?  EIA first introduced with RR(A)A 2000  Disability and Gender legislation has extended its focus  HW approach covers 7 strands, age, disability, gender, race, religion and belief, sexual orientation and people with caring responsibilities

Equal Opportunities: Key Challenge Equality Impact Assessment: Why bother?  Legal framework  Positive duties – anticipatory and proactive process  Service improvement and delivery tool  Can be linked to risk assessment

Equal Opportunities: Key Challenge Equality Impact Assessment: How does EIA work?  EIA is about analysing current and new working practice  It is about spotting existing and potential barriers and taking preventative action  It is a dual tool covering exiting and new procedures  It is designed to be a planning tool  EIA should be seen as an opportunity to improve current working

Heriot-Watt University Approach How to ‘do’ EIA The process is less complicated than it seems Start with mapping an area or School to identify all policies and functions Prioritise policies and functions - involve service users Draw up a programme of EIA Stage 1: initial/partial EIA Stage 2: Full EIA – if stage 1 shows it is necessary All necessary resources on webpages at

Heriot-Watt University Approach How to ‘do’ EIA Anything new or amended should be subject to EIA Monitoring or revision of polices and functions should go through EIA Retrospective programme of EIA should be established for service areas and Schools Reports seeking approval for policies should indicate the EIA process EOC has a role: overseeing roll-out, receiving reports on EIA, troubleshooting difficult areas

Issues Airing from EIA EIA: problem areas Involvement of service users is difficult and time consuming - but a legal requirement Looking to establish information sharing within HEI Capacity to undertake EIA Rolling-out across the University

Questions/Discussion