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<p>The government is committed to tackling inequalities. That is why, in October 2018,
my right. hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, launched measures to tackle barriers facing
ethnic minorities in the workplace, including a new Race at Work Charter and a consultation
on ethnicity pay reporting.</p><p>Like all employers, higher education providers have
responsibilities under the Equality Act (2010) in relation to their staff. The government
expects providers to comply fully with their obligations. As autonomous and independent
institutions, it is for individual providers to ensure that the training they provide
is appropriate.</p><p>The Equality Challenge Unit (part of Advance HE) has published
guidance for higher education providers on embedding equality and diversity into HR
policies. The Race Equality Charter also helps higher education providers to identify
and address institutional and cultural barriers standing in the way of minority ethnic
staff and students. The Athena SWAN Charter recognises work undertaken to address
gender equality.</p><p>The regulator, the Office for Students (OfS), and its predecessor,
have provided over £4.7 million in funding for projects tackling sexual harassment,
online harassment and hate-based harassment. This includes projects with a focus on
developing and providing training for both staff and students on matters such as bystander
intervention and handling of reports and disclosures.</p><p>In guidance to the OfS,
the government has asked the regulator to positively engage with work to counter harassment
and hate-crime and to make campuses places of tolerance for all students, and work
with providers on equalities issues.</p>
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