Equity, diversity and inclusion

At HyTECH, we are committed to creating an environment that promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion. As part of this commitment, we will identify specific support we can provide and actions we can take that will value diversity and ensure HyTECH is equitable and inclusive. In addition, as HyTECH is a training centre we are committed to setting our PhD students and Post-doctoral Fellows up for a successful career so we will also identify specific support we can provide and actions we can take that will lead to equitable and inclusive long-term career outcomes.

For more information about our initiatives, milestones and progress please contact our Centre Manager.

What is equity, diversity and inclusion?

Diversity

The term diversity refers to all the characteristics that make individuals different from each other. It includes characteristics such as age, caring responsibilities, cultural identity, disability, mental health, gender, indigeneity, sexual orientation and gender identity, and religion.

Inclusion

Inclusion refers to the act of creating environments, events and programs in which any individual or group feels welcomed, respected, valued and empowered to fully participate and contribute.

Equity

By valuing diversity, supporting inclusion and removing barriers to success that people might experience we want to ensure equitable outcomes for all members of HyTECH both during their time as part of the Centre and in their future career.

Inclusion and diversity are the first steps towards equity and belonging. A culture of belonging is one where people feel that their perspectives are valued and respected, where they are supported to celebrate and share their diverse perspectives, and where they can form connections which ensure they feel represented within the organisation.

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan

In developing our Plan, it is important to first acknowledge that HyTECH operates in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws and the existing equity, diversity and inclusion policies/plans of the participating Universities and Partner Organisations. Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan outlines the additional processes and initiatives specific to HyTECH.

To ensure our Plan is relevant and sets the right goals we consulted with HyTECH members and our wider research/industry community. To do this we developed a survey that we requested all members complete and invited additional responses from our wider academic and industry community.

The responses from this consultation contributed to the development of our Plan and Initiatives. The initiatives and the associated milestones are the actions we will take to value diversity and ensure HyTECH is equitable and inclusive. They are also designed to set all our Researchers up for long-term career success.

Progress on our initiatives will be reported at least quarterly at Management Committee meetings and at each Steering Committee meeting. Importantly, our initiatives are not fixed, and new initiatives can be proposed at any time. New initiatives will be reviewed by the Management Committee and approved by the Steering Committee.