Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At ASE, we believe in meeting students where they are and challenging them to grow their perspectives and experiences.

Our commitment to valuing diversity requires that all members of the ASE community work toward inclusive excellence. This means that ALL members of the community - students, faculty, and staff - contribute to the larger goals of diversity, equity, and belonging.

By diversity, we mean the concept of representation, participation, integration, and interaction of individuals from different races or ethnicities, nations of origin, gender identities and sexual orientations, socioeconomic status, age, ability, and religion, while also recognising that all of us have multiple identities.

Although our courses have a deliberate British focus to them, ASE has always striven to ensure that our teaching is representative of the diverse and multi-cultural nature of British history and society.

ASE is continuously focused on providing a variety of voices within the classroom.

Some ASE courses are offered with an obvious diversity focus, such as: Queering the Gothic, Contemporary Black British Literature, Re-visiting the Museum, Women, Lunacy & Literature, Black Fantastika, and Patterns of Power: Theories of Gender, Race, Class and Sexuality in Contemporary Society.

Other courses deliberately include elements of diversity within the teaching framework, with an intentional focus on examining the work of a wide and inclusive range of authors and writers throughout history as well as in the contemporary world. To give just one example, Vikings: Myth & Reality – looks at gender, sexuality, and attitudes to disability in the Viking world, and makes use of English, Frankish, Sámi and Arabic sources alongside the Scandinavian material to examine cultural difference across the Viking world.

Our Summer School - with its rotating array of faculty - allows us to offer core courses including Bath, Britain and the Black Atlantic alongside one-off courses such as Queer Victorians and London Calling/Londyn Dzwoni: Transnational Narratives of Migration and Belonging.

The ASE Monday Lecture Series is attended weekly by all students, with ASE faculty and local scholars discussing topics such as ‘Bath, Bristol, & The Trans-Atlantic Trade’, ‘Constructing Gender & Identity in Ancient Law & Myth: Ancient Mirrors for Modern Times’ and ‘Why LGBTQ History Matters’. This forum allows students to learn together and engage in conversation in a supportive and intellectually challenging environment.

In addition to purposefully broadening viewpoints in the classroom, ASE also works to promote diversity in student engagement within the rest of the programme and the greater community.

Students who wish to concentrate on historic and present day questions of equality and justice can apply for ASE internship placements with organisations such as the M-Shed and Georgian House museums in Bristol and local professional network B in Bath.

Our Certificate of Cultural Enrichment is designed to help students explore questions about culture and identity, via their commitment to join in community activities and then participate in regular discussions about their experiences.

ASE hosts a full schedule of social and cultural activities - such as day trips, movie nights, a baking competition and a pub quiz - and we’re actively looking at issues of accessibility and diversity in our offerings. Because we’re a small programme, we’re able to be responsive to student needs and interests.

The ASE Bulletin is also published weekly to keep students updated on community offerings. Opportunities range broadly, for example: talks by diverse authors at our neighbourhood bookshops, a local Queer Coffee gathering, and Black History Month events.

We’re continuously expanding our ASE library holdings to include a wide range of voices and perspectives. Whether students are researching for coursework or simply reading for leisure and personal exploration, we hope to provide a growing collection that reflects the breadth of human experience.

All ASE students benefit from an associate membership to the Bath Spa University Student Union, meaning that they have the opportunity to join a variety of student clubs and societies. These organisations can provide a welcoming and supportive space to connect with peers who share various interests and aspects of identity.

ASE offers several scholarships and assistantships designed to make the program more accessible to students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds.

Among these are the Don Nunes Scholarship, which supports students from communities historically underrepresented in study abroad, and the Mike Ruiz Scholarship, which supports students from the LGBTQ+ community. These need-based awards aim to reduce financial barriers that may otherwise prevent full participation in the program.

ASE also recognises that access and inclusion are not solely a matter of finances. In that spirit, non-need-based initiatives, such as The Bridgetower Fund, are designed to affirm and support the social and cultural capital that students of colour bring to international education.

Every ASE student is assigned a staff mentor, available to discuss any questions or concerns - from dealing with homesickness to finding support for their identity within the community.

Additionally, ASE offers identity-informed mentorship to support student wellbeing and belonging: our Rainbow Mentor is available to support LGBTQ+ students; our Safegarding Mentor supports students through any issues of gender discrimination; our Intercultural Mentor supports all students' integration, with a focus on students of colour; and our Neurodiversity Mentor support students needing concerning their Neurodiverge.

Students who need academic accommodations are supported by the Director of Studies to ensure that these are provided in their courses. If students have particular needs concerning housing, identified during the admissions process, we will also do our best to accommodate these needs with the resources available.

ASE staff participate in regular in-house training on mental health, trans awareness, neurodiversity, inclusive community building, and asset-based approaches to student support. Time and resources dedicated to ongoing professional development are an essential investment in delivering the best possible programme for all ASE students, and reflect ASE’s commitment to equity, care, and cultural responsiveness.

Help us grow! If you have questions about your own needs during the programme or ideas about DEIB at ASE, we'd love to hear from you. Please do not hesitate to contact us directly. For DEIB suggestions and ideas, please message Matias Weedman, our Intercultural Mentor.