The CASE Insights on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (United Kingdom) survey was carried out for the first time in 2021 to better understand the diversity of the advancement sector in the United Kingdom and whether the sector truly reflects the values related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B) of the institutions and the communities they serve.

In order to create a baseline for DEI&B data in the advancement sector in the United Kingdom, CASE created this survey for the UK, intended to be the first of many such surveys in the coming years. In this first instance, the focus of the survey is primarily on ethnic/racial diversity. We expect that future iterations would expand to include or focus on other aspects of diversity.

The results of this 2021 survey evidence that advancement professionals in the UK from historically underrepresented groups do face pervasive systematic barriers throughout their careers. Fewer individuals from minority ethnic groups see a future for themselves in the advancement profession, and across all measures the institutional perceptions and experiences of those from minority ethnic groups were less positive than white respondents.

A strategic priority for CASE is to dismantle these barriers by establishing a pipeline of advancement professionals from diverse lived experiences and creating diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging acumen for the profession, which will assist our members in hiring and retaining an advancement team that reflects the demographics of the institution’s student and alumni bodies. Through our Opportunity and Inclusion Centre (OIC), CASE offers a comprehensive set of services to transform institutional systems and processes.