24-05-2025
Oxford University ‘demands candidates back diversity policies'
Oxford University has been accused of failing to protect free speech by requiring all job applicants to support diversity measures.
The university is one of several top educational institutions that have been warned that their hiring policies cbreach their legal obligation to protect free speech.
A report by the campaign group Alumni for Free Speech (AFFS) claims that candidates and employees who do not agree with the way that diversity employment policies are implemented face discrimination and are discouraged from expressing their views.
AFFS's report states: 'In recent years, free speech campaigners have encountered numerous examples of universities requiring applicants for jobs to provide evidence of their support for employment, diversity and inclusion (or get marked down on selection), or imposing duties on employees to promote or support EDI.
''EDI' has become a broad, amorphous concept that includes contested viewpoints and agendas which are not required to be enforced by the Equality Act or other laws.'
The report claims that Oxford University, King's College London and Leeds University are among the 'worst offenders'.
'Discrimination baked into the system'
It said Leeds 'appeared to have discrimination against candidates with the 'wrong views' baked into the system', while Oxford had failed to take action over previous warnings about its diversity hiring policies.
AFFS, with help from the Committee for Academic Freedom and other free speech organisations, conducted research into the 21 English and Welsh members of the Russell Group to establish the extent of what it said was a problem blighting British university education.
It found that eight of the Russell Group universities required candidates to provide evidence of their commitment to diversity as part of the recruitment process.
Eleven were found to have imposed duties on candidates to support or promote diversity.
The report claims that only seven universities appear to be fully compliant with their legal obligation to protect free speech.
Risk of non-compliance
AFFS also conducted less detailed research into English and Welsh members of Universities UK, which found that out of the total of 108 universities reviewed, over 45 per cent are 'highly likely to be acting non-compliantly'. It said that a further 15 are seriously at risk of non-compliance.
The report found that several universities require job applicants to show evidence of their 'commitment' to diversity and mark candidates down who do not demonstrate sufficient levels of support.
It said: 'As a result, candidates and employees are discouraged from expressing their viewpoints on often controversial matters. This is highly likely to be legally and regulatorily non-compliant.'
AFFS said that all universities needed to ensure that their recruitment and employee policies do not contravene their legal and regulatory duties under the Equality and Education Acts to protect free speech.
It comes after claims that diversity policies were at the root of the treatment of Jo Phoenix, a criminology professor, by the Open University.
An employment tribunal found in January last year that Prof Phoenix was discriminated against and harassed by her employer, the Open University, because of her gender critical beliefs.
After the ruling, Open University said: 'This judgment made for difficult reading for all of us. In several areas we fell very short and for those apologise unreservedly.'
Prof Abhishek Saha, who teaches mathematics at Queen Mary University of London told The Telegraph: 'As many legal experts have noted, elements of EDI as currently promoted in universities are highly contested, ideological in nature, and go beyond legal obligations.
'Requiring EDI commitments in recruitment creates an environment where applicants feel pressured to conform to a particular ideological stance in order to have a fair shot at the job. This discourages diversity of thought and has a chilling effect on academic freedom.'
Oxford University told The Telegraph that it would not be commenting on the report at this stage.
The Russell Group of Universities also said it would not be commenting on the report.
