Asif Sadiq (2023) explores the limitations of current Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) training in workplaces, highlighting that such training often fails due to inherent biases and a lack of meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. He argues that true change must be embedded within education—not only in content, but in pedagogy. Sadiq questions whether education challenges dominant perspectives or includes marginalised voices, and he urges educators to adapt their teaching styles to meet the needs of all learners.
While many teachers aim to be inclusive of neurodiversity, Sadiq’s point raises a practical challenge: in a single classroom of 30 students, each with unique ways of learning, adapting to everyone can be incredibly complex.
Sadiq also critiques how EDI discussions are often centred around UK or US frameworks, overlooking the regional and cultural variations in how diversity is experienced. He stresses the importance of building EDI training around unique individual identities rather than reinforcing stereotypes. Diversity, he reminds us, is not about reaching consensus but about respecting differences.
Sadiq reminds us of the value of experiential learning as a driver of change. This is reflected in Channel 4’s The School That Tried to End Racism (2020), where students participate in a running race but are held back based on their answers to question related to their race—an exercise that powerfully reveals the impact of systemic inequality and racial bias. Such methods can create lasting, embodied understandings of racism and privilege.
Sadiq also highlights group learning as a powerful tool for exploring difference. I agree, but I would add that this only works possitively if difference is first tolerated and welcomed within the learning environment.
Orr (2022), questions whether freedom of speech and academic freedom are truly possible within current EDI policies. Orr critiques how institutional structures designed to promote inclusivity can sometimes stifle open debate. To some extend this echoes Sadiq’s point that diversity should not mean everyone agrees—it should mean people are free to hold and express differing views. This is of course, as long as those views are rooted in respect and do not cause harm. The key issue is whether spaces are created where respectful disagreement and difference can genuinely coexist.
Bradbury (2020) illustrates how current assessment frameworks (with in primary and secondary education) can reproduce racial hierarchies, leading to the marginalisation of pupils from minority backgrounds, and in particular multilingual students.
Garrett (2024) highlights how racialised PhD students and early-career academics in UK universities frequently experience academia as both isolating and precarious. They often occupy hypervisible positions, yet remain invisible when it comes to influencing institutional culture. This links also to Sadiq (2023) reminder that “its not the burden of an under represented group to talk and educate”.
UAL’s Access and Participation Plan 2025–29 (University of the Arts London, 2024) recognises existing awarding gaps and underrepresentation of racially minoritised staff—pledging to increase BAME staff representation, as well as student cohorts starting with gthe admissions processes. However, whilst the plan is imperative, so is the implementation of it, which requires, as noted in all the sources, a deeper understanding of diversity.
References:
Bradbury, A. (2020) ‘A critical race theory framework for education policy analysis: The case of bilingual learners and assessment policy in England’, Race Ethnicity and Education, 23(2), pp. 241–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2019.1599338
Channel 4 (2020) The School That Tried to End Racism. [YouTube video] 30 June. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I3wJ7pJUjg [Accessed 11 June 2025].
Garrett, R. (2024) ‘Racism shapes careers: career trajectories and imagined futures of racialised minority PhDs in UK higher education’, Globalisation, Societies and Education, pp. 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2024.2307886
Orr, J. (2022) Revealed: The charity turning UK universities woke. The Telegraph. [YouTube video] 5 August. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRM6vOPTjuU [Accessed 11 June 2025].
Sadiq, A. (2023) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Learning how to get it right. TEDx Talks. [YouTube video] 2 March. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR4wz1b54hw [Accessed 11 June 2025].
University of the Arts London (2024) Access and Participation Plan 2025–26 to 2028–29. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0030/458346/University-of-the-Arts-London-Access-and-Participation-Plan-2025-26-to-2028-29-PDF-1297KB.pdf [Accessed 11 June 2025].
Thank you for this post, Cat! I found your discussion on the challenges of adapting teaching to diverse learners particularly insightful; it definitely raises important questions about the limits of inclusion when deeper structural change is lacking. I also appreciated your take on group learning. In creative education, especially, differences should be a driver of learning rather than something to smooth over. Your point about implementation being as crucial as policy is a timely reminder, particularly in light of UAL’s ongoing commitments.
Thank you for your comments Ece!
Thank you for your blog post Cat, I too, found your point about neurodiversity within a busy classroom as an added component within conversations around diversity training as really really important – not something I had particularly considered when looking at these resources. The practicality around group learning too and having the base understanding and tolerance for open conversation is a point well made. We cannot feel truly free and comfortable to have conversations that challenge each other if collective boundaries are not in place. I also really liked how you linked Sadiq’s resource throughout. The inclusion of the Access and Participation plan backed up your insight well. Thank you!
Thank you Cora, I particularly resonate with the importance of collective boundaries in place!