We are at the forefront of so many global challenges, it takes talented staff and students from all backgrounds, from all over the world, to help us achieve our goals.

Our department's Diversity, Inclusion, Culture and Equity Committee (DICE) acts as a forum for discussion of all matters relating to equality, diversity, inclusion and department culture. Find out more about the work of DICE and our members


The College and the Department have a range of networks, committees and support services to help ensure our everyone in our diverse community is treated with respect, and given every opportunity to flourish, personally and professionally.

Resources for health and wellbeing, support for parents and carers, disability, harassment and bullying, and links to diversity networks can be found below.


Support and resources in the department

Health and wellbeing

Staff 

Imperial Health and Wellbeing advice and support, and free professional and Confidential Care assistance, which is accessible to all College staff and members of their family living with them, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Please call 0800 085 4764 or email. Confidential Care's help line, staffed by trained counsellors, can provide information and advice on a wide range of work and life issues.

Students
  • Equip yourself to live life well at the Student Support Zone
  • Our department's Student Wellbeing Advisor, Kelly Greenwood k.greenwood@imperial.ac.uk, enhances the support students receive from their personal tutors and works collaboratively with Personal Tutors and Senior Tutors to provide wellbeing advice, support and mentoring to students.
  • All students can make appointments to speak to Kelly about a whole range of non-academic issues such as settling into College life and independent living, relationships, friendships or family worries, mental health, physical health, loneliness, accommodation, financial difficulties or any issue that is having an impact on a student’s wellbeing and academic progress.
  • The Imperial College Union has a network of Student Wellbeing Reps. The Rep network works with the College so departments can understand the issues students face outside their academic studies, ensuring that student wellbeing is considered. UG Student Wellbeing Reps in EEE are members of our Student/Staff committees.
  • The EEE student A-Z lists wellbeing advice and all contacts for UG and PG students

MENTAL HEALTH

The College is committed to raising awareness of mental health issues and enhancing the mental wellbeing of our community.  Our Commitment to Mental Healthlanyard

A Mental Health First Aider will provide you with a safe space to start a confidential conversation about your mental health, and direct you to the most appropriate support.

  • Mental Health First Aiders in College wear a bright green lanyard
  • You can speak to any Mental Health First Aider in the College. 
  • Esther Perea and Kate Farrar are Mental Health First Aiders in the EEE Department.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

The College encourages a healthy work-life balance and helps support this with flexible working arrangements which give a degree of flexibility on how long, where, and at what times staff can work.


A member of our staff writes..

People I have a mental health disorder which sometimes impacts on my ability to work, and I have excellent support from my department. They have been very flexible in the times and locations I can work, and I can organise my own workload to adjust to changing circumstances.

 

Support for parents and carers

The College recognises the demands of family life and is committed to supporting members of staff to obtain a good work life balance. We encourage all staff to take advantage of the College's family and caring leave pay and policies, and will support you in doing so.

The Elsie Widdowson Fellowship Award is an important component of the College’s family-friendly policies. The purpose of the Award is to allow academic staff (Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, Reader, and Professor) to concentrate fully on their research work upon returning from maternity, adoption, surrogacy and/or shared parental leave. 

Parental Leave Portal

The Parental Leave Portal is a fully supported online platform, designed to support employees throughout the transition to parenthood. Whether an expectant parent, on parental or adoption leave or a recent returner to work, there are discussion forums, goal-setting progress trackers, interactive exercises, videos, checklists and case studies designed to help you. 

Managers have access to their own portal, which focuses on concise, just-in-time support for those who need a refresher on how to best support a team member through their journey to parenthood and their return to work. This includes guidance on how to best communicate and support staff before, during and after leave, and how to support career integration on return.

More information about the parental portal and all of our information and support available for parents is available on the Parents’ Network webpages.

Sign up to access the portal.

Disability

For staff

Imperial is a Disability Confident employer. The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Centre is able to support or advise staff.

The Calibre Leadership Programme is open to disabled staff and aims to impart knowledge and techniques to overcome and master barriers in the workplace.

For students

Imperial's Disability Advisory Service is open between 9:30 and 16:30, Monday - Friday. Email disabilities@imperial.ac.uk.

The EEE Department Disability Officer for students is Emma Rainbow.

Harassment and bullying

The College is committed to making our community an environment which is respectful and inclusive. This includes eliminating all forms of discrimination, especially direct and indirect forms of harassment, bullying and victimisation. The College will respond directly to members of our community from the Department who report unwelcome behaviour.

You have a voice. Please remember that:

  • you can take action and should not tolerate poor behaviour;
  • you don't have to suffer in silence - silence gives people permission to continue in their poor behaviour;
  • you will be listened to and your concerns taken seriously.

Who can I talk to about harassment or bullying?

 

For staff

Imperial College Harassment and Bullying Support provides uidance and advice on reporting incidences of bullying, harassment, discrimination, victimisation and hate crime, and College policy.

  • Report and Support With the new Report + Support tool, you can disclose unwelcoming behaviours such as bullying, harassment, sexual violence, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. Anyone can use the tool, including staff, student, contractors and vistors to Imperial. It can be used if have witnessed an incident or experienced bullying or harassment directly. You can disclose either anonymously or you can provide your details to be contacted by an advisor.
  • Confidential Care. All College staff and members of their family living with them can get free professional and confidential help from Confidential Care, the College's Employee Assistance Provider, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Confidential Care's help line, and email service is staffed by trained counsellors, can provide information and advice on a wide range of work and life issues including Bullying/Harassment.
  • Faculty of Engineering Staff need to feel able to express their views when experiencing, witnessing or managing discrimination, harassment and/or bullying. Find out more about the  Have Your Say campaign.

For students

No forms of bullying or harassment are tolerated at Imperial.  The Student Support Zone provides guidance and advice on reporting behaviour.


Active Bystander Training

The Department is committed to ensuring all staff participate in the College's Active Bystander training. The programme aims to empower staff across our College community to challenge poor behaviours and bring about cultural change. Active Bystanders reinforce messages defining the boundaries of unacceptable behaviour.

 

Staff training for the workplace

Active Bystander training

The active bystander programme aims to empower staff across our College community to challenge poor behaviours and bring about cultural change. All staff and new students in the department receive Active Bystander training.

Unconscious Bias training

Unconscious bias is triggered by our brain automatically making quick judgments and assessments, influenced by our background, personal experiences, societal stereotypes and cultural context.

Unconscious bias can influence key decisions in the workplace and can contribute to inequality, for example in supervision, recruitment, performance appraisals, or promotion.

Imperial's unconscious bias workshop provides a non-judgmental approach aimed at understanding how operates in the workplace. All EEE staff are strongly recommended to attend.

Imperial EDI Training

The Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Centre (EDIC) offers a range of training programmes. We encourage all our staff to take part in any relevant programmes.


Women in EEE

Women have traditionally been under-represented in engineering disciplines, but we are aiming to ensure all our staff and students are able to achieve their potential, and build an active community of women in EEE who can share their experiences, and encourage and inspire.

Find out more and get involved..

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Imperial

Find out all about equality, diversity and inclusion at Imperial, including support and resources for staff and students.