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Today Unlock, in partnership with UPP Foundation, have launched the Fair Chance for Students with Convictions pledge. The pledge is a commitment on the part of higher education providers to ensure a fair chance for applicants. This includes: Asking applicants about criminal records only if – and when – necessary Asking targeted and proportionate questions […]
Office for Students are the independent regulator of higher education in England. As part of their work to promote equal opportunities, Office for Students publish information on effective ways of meeting the needs of different student groups. Unlock were delighted to collaborate with them on their new guidance for higher education providers on students with criminal […]
Lawrence contacted us about a post advertised at a university in the Midlands. The job, Head of Business Programmes, involved working with departments within the university and developing relationships with external partners. Lawrence was surprised then to see that the job description said the post would involve an enhanced DBS check. It wasn’t clear why […]
Bloomsbury Institute London (formerly the London School of Business and Management) has become the first higher education institute in the UK to Ban the Box for students and staff. Founded in 2002, Bloomsbury Institute is built around an academic community that values diversity, curiosity and hard work and they dedicated to welcoming anyone who has […]
We’ve recently worked on a case where a university had stated in a job description for a Lecturer in Criminology that: “The successful applicant will have to undergo a DBS check before an appointment can be made.” Although the job description didn’t specify what level of check, the university confirmed that they would be carrying […]
We’ve recently worked on a case where a university had stated in a job description for a ‘Lecturer in Criminology’ role that: “The successful applicant will have to undergo a DBS check before an appointment can be made.” Unfortunately, it didn’t specify what level of check. When we asked, they said that they’d be carrying […]
This case relates to a large university and the appointment of a fixed term research assistant. The programme lead of this particular project interviewed a gentleman who she stated ‘could not be more ideally suited for the post’. He had the necessary skills and experience and was himself in recovery from an alcohol problem. With […]
This case study involves a university that advertised a teaching fellow post, subject to a standard or enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. A teaching position in a university is not on the list of exempted professions in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975. This sets out which jobs (e.g. doctors, nurses, school […]