Ei-iE

Groundbreaking new legal duties recently introduced in the UK could greatly improve the prospects of disabled people working or hoping to work in colleges and universities, says EI affiliate the University and College Union (UCU).

The Disability Equality Duty (DED), launched on 4th December, requires public sector bodies, including colleges and universities to prevent and tackle disability discrimination and to actively promote equality for disabled people. Under the new duty all further education colleges and higher education institutions are required to produced a Disability Equality Scheme.

Launching a new guide on the rights of disabled staff entitiled Enabling not disabling, UCU national official Roger Kline said: "The lack of a disability-sensitive culture in many colleges and universities can make disabled staff less likely to take up training or seek promotion. This could explain the vast under-representation of disabled people in positions which they could occupy.

"'Only around 2% of staff in universities and colleges declare themselves to be disabled in some way. The Disability Rights Commission says as much as 20% of the UK workforce consists of disabled people. We believe many college and university staff may be failing to declare their disability for fear of being stereotyped and wrongly considered unfit for demanding work.

"The new Equality Duty is a great breakthrough, and UCU is proposing practical things we can do in partnership with managers to ensure that every college and university has a welcoming, positive attitude towards disabled staff and students."