While there is no specific policy on the Equality Act of 2010, the University protects the exact same characteristics. Measures against external speakers are only be imposed for exceptional reasons – but include vague descriptors on health and safety which could be used to detrimental effect.
Abertay University has no specific policy regarding freedom of expression and no return on the report by the Joint Committee on Human Rights on Freedom of Speech. The nearest equivalent policy does not answer the question as to what the policy of the organisation is regarding freedom of expression. The University also has no return about whether students should be allowed to express a deeply held pro-life conviction (due to their being no relevant recorded information).
The University policy on external speakers and events is that, in facilitating such events:
The University policy on external speakers and events is that, in facilitating such events:
- “The University will seek to ensure that the organisers uphold academic freedom and freedom of speech within the law as well as having due regard to health and safety.”
- “Within the context of general academic principles of freedom of speech, the University will in general not set conditions on external speakers and events; and, in particular, will not oblige organisers to present opposing views from those of an external speaker, preferring instead to cancel an event where it is thought that there is a significant risk of breaching the law (as per 3.2 and 3.3, above).The University nevertheless reserves the right to impose measures on an event or external speaker, but would expect this to be done only exceptionally and without impeding the speaker or the event. [Note: separately, measures may be taken for other reasons such as health, safety and well being of students, staff and members of the public.]”
The University has no specific policy on the Equality Act 2010, but the “believes that all employees and students have the right to expect, and that it has a responsibility to ensure, that no individual will be disadvantaged as a consequence of their age, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.