Affirmative Action at UTS
The University implements Affirmative Action strategies for access to education and employment with an aim to redress past disadvantages and improve outcomes for people from designated equity groups. UTS recognises that ongoing social and structural disadvantage creates barriers to success.
For students, UTS access programs encourage participation from under-represented equity target groups, including:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
- people from low socio-economic status backgrounds;
- people with a disability;
- people from a non-English speaking background;
- people from rural and isolated areas; and
- women in non-traditional areas of study and in postgraduate study.
For staff, the University recognises that particular groups of people have traditionally been disadvantaged in employment because of discriminatory laws, rules, employment practices, stereotypes and attitudes. Some people may not have had equal access to job opportunities or training and development for reasons such as past discrimination or prejudice, different educational experience, or being locked into low opportunity jobs. The NSW Anti-Discrimination Act (1977) defines these groups as:
- Indigenous Australians;
- people who speak a first language other than English;
- people with a disability; and
- women.
