Equity and Diversity

Hi, I’m Lara Rafferty the Assistant Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion representing the Equity and Diversity Team.

Inclusion is one of RMIT’s core values.

We are proud of our rich and diverse community, and are committed to making RMIT a place where everybody is welcomed and valued.

The Equity and Diversity Unit helps to oversee RMIT’s Diversity and Inclusion Framework, which includes Action Plans to make our University a better place for:

• staff and students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• those of diverse genders, sexes and sexualities
• for professional and academic women
• students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds;

and also

• students and staff with disability

We run programs and collaborate with others across the university to increase access to RMIT, build a more diverse student community, and provide an equitable and inclusive experience for all students.

So, we run the I Belong outreach programs that provide secondary students from schools in the RMIT ‘Schools Network Access Partnership’, or SNAP, the opportunity to experience life as a university student, and also to build aspiration and awareness for tertiary study.

We support the equity admissions schemes like SNAP, that provide priority access to RMIT programs for students from the 225 SNAP schools.

And it’s just great to know that students who come to RMIT through SNAP are just as successful as other students.

The Equity and Diversity Unit also helps staff and students make RMIT a more inclusive place.

So we can help by:

• promoting diversity and inclusion through communications, events, and networks
• delivering resources and advice for your staff about matters of diversity and inclusion;

and also

• advocating for change to facilities, services, systems, policies and professional development to make RMIT more inclusive.

One very practical way you can support inclusion is by signing up for professional development as an ‘Ally’ for our sexuality and gender diverse community - so look for the program in the HR DevelopMe portal.

You can contact us via email, or visit our staff website for more information.