With everything Freshers’ week has to offer, the University’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) trainings risk being overwhelmed. Even so, they should be welcomed.
The session itself was fairly simple. There were a few slides on why EDI matters and what forms it takes at the University, while most of the training was focused on a handful of hypothetical case studies. In small groups, students were encouraged to consider what to do about a sexist tutor, or fellow students making antisemitic comments at lunch. Everyone seemed engaged in friendly, if slightly awkward discussion. Uneventful, but enjoyable, as far as these kinds of sessions go.
And yet, when I first saw this commission, I had forgotten that this training ever even happened. I suspect the experience also got lost in the whirlwind of freshers’ week for those less forgetful than me.
Whatever the context, an hour-long briefing will hardly change one’s habits. Those who are used to being proactive in these situations won’t learn much, while those who would benefit from the content can easily tune out.
Is there any point to these sessions, then, besides making the University look better on paper? The true impact seems almost impossible to quantify. Still, in a word, I would say yes.
First, the problem of discrimination is made explicit, harder to brush off as simply ‘the way things are’. Even those who are not personally affected might be more likely to take notice of problematic behaviour.
Second, the sessions might just spark empathy in unique ways. One of the scenarios featured two imaginary countries in need of aid: one (seemingly) Western, the other a Muslim-majority country. Highlighting human experiences is better than nothing amidst relentless polarisation.
My own key takeaway was to react with more empathy towards ‘offenders’. With students from radically diverse personal contexts, not all missteps are ill-intended, and an open question might be much more constructive than an angry confrontation.
Most importantly, the training legitimises action – seeking third party help or speaking out in a problematic situation is clearly condoned, even if the specifics of what to say or who to approach are lost in the general haze of Freshers’ week.
At present, EDI trainings are a mere nod in the right direction. Even this is much better than looking the other way.
