Equity and Inclusivity in Research Funding Forum
Challenge
In January 2023, the University of Oxford published the report Equity and Inclusivity in Research Funding: Barriers and Delivering Change.
The report investigated the barriers that researchers from marginalised backgrounds face in accessing funding opportunities and set out recommendations for how universities and funders could make their funding schemes more equitable and accessible.
Building on the findings from the report, the University of Oxford’s Research Support team proposed a sector-wide forum, where participants would come together to agree a coordinated set of actions to transform equity and inclusivity in research funding nationally. The University partnered with Oxentia Ltd to support them in preparing for and delivering the forum.
Approach
The core of the project was a stakeholder consultation, to build consensus and identify barriers, ahead of a day-long forum meeting in February 2024. To prepare for the consultation, the Oxentia and the Research Support team worked collaboratively to draft a set of possible ‘commitments’ (or actions) that universities and funders could potentially adopt within their organisations. The intention was that this list would be refined through the consultation, and would then be incorporated into a joint public statement that universities and funders would sign. Signatories to the statement would become members of the Equity and Inclusivity in Research Funding Forum (the “Forum”), through which they would work together to deliver the actions and commitments.
Between November 2023 and January 2024, Oxentia conducted interviews with 11 funders and held focus groups with 27 universities. Feedback from this consultation led to a new approach that could be endorsed by the sector: a move away from the set of high-level ‘commitments’, towards more collective actions on sector-wide issues. Oxentia worked collaboratively with the Research Support team to draft an updated list of ’priority actions’, a joint public statement, and a terms of reference for a group through which collective action could be taken, i.e. the Forum. Oxentia also prepared a day-long agenda for the first meeting of the Forum, delivered a presentation of findings, and facilitated the workshops on the day.
Impact
