The Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Committee

The Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Committee is An-Najah National University’s senior body for advising on, directing and coordinating all University-wide work on equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights. Established by the University administration and chaired by the University President, the Committee has formal authority to advise University leadership and to oversee the implementation of related policies, programmes and training across students, staff and the wider community, in line with the University’s values, Palestinian regulations and international best practice.

Our mission

“To enable every member of the An-Najah community to belong, participate and succeed, by eliminating discrimination, advancing equal opportunity and embedding inclusion in all decisions, so that diversity becomes a driver of excellence and social impact.”

What we do

The EDI Committee:

• Advises University leadership on integrating equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights into the University’s strategic plans, accreditation and sustainability frameworks, including SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

• Develops and oversees policies on anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, accessibility, inclusive admissions and inclusive recruitment.

• Coordinates programmes that support underrepresented groups, including women, persons with disabilities, students from low-income families, and refugee and displaced students.

• Promotes awareness and training on equality, inclusion and human rights for students, faculty and staff.

• Monitors progress by tracking applications, admissions and participation of underrepresented groups, reviewing equity data and directing corrective action where gaps are identified.

Terms of reference

• Set and monitor the University’s EDI strategy and annual action plan.

• Review and recommend EDI-related policies, standards and frameworks for approval.

• Oversee equality impact assessments and direct corrective actions where inequities exist.

• Commission reviews, reports and task groups to address emerging inclusion challenges.

• Review anonymised data on discrimination and harassment complaints received by the Grievances and Complaints Committee, identify trends and recommend improvements.

• Coordinate external benchmarking and institutional commitments to human rights and inclusion.

• Serve as a consultation forum for students, staff and community representatives on EDI matters.

Structure and membership

• Chair: University President

• Deputy Chairs: Director of the Sustainability Office, Director of Human Resources, Dean of Student Affairs

• EDI Director: coordinates implementation across units, maintains performance indicators and supports the Committee’s work

• Members: Faculty Deans or Associate Deans; Director of Digital Technologies; Director of Logistics and Infrastructure Affairs; Director of the Disability Support Office; Director of Quality Assurance; undergraduate and postgraduate representatives of the Student Union, with gender balance; and two external representatives from civil society

This broad membership brings together academic, administrative, student and community perspectives.

How the Committee works

• The Committee meets at least four times per academic year, with extraordinary meetings at the Chair’s discretion.

• Meeting papers are issued at least seven days in advance, and an action log records each decision with its responsible unit and deadline.

• Minutes record decisions and actions, not individual cases, and are maintained by the Governance Office.

• A quorum requires the Chair or a Deputy Chair and at least one-third of members, including at least one student representative and one representative of Human Resources or Student Affairs.

Relationship with complaints procedures

Individual complaints of discrimination or harassment are received, investigated and resolved by the University’s Grievances and Complaints Committee under the Anti-Discrimination Policy. The EDI Committee does not handle individual cases; it reviews anonymised complaint data and trends to strengthen policies and prevention.

Policies under the Committee’s oversight

• Anti-Discrimination Policy

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

• Anti-Discrimination and Fair Employment Policy

• Equitable and Inclusive Student Admissions Policy

• Women’s Enrollment and Participation Policy

• Disability Access and Inclusion Policy

Programmes and training in action

The University’s commitment to equality, inclusion and human rights is reflected in a continuous programme of activities across its faculties and units, for example:

• “Citizenship from a Human Rights Perspective” – a series of awareness sessions for students organised by the Faculty of Sharia with the Independent Commission for Human Rights (November 2025). Read more

• “Human Rights: Theoretical Foundations and International Mechanisms” – a training for students delivered with the Faculty of Law and Political Science and the Deanship of Student Affairs (November 2025). Read more

• “Because We Are Here: Hear From Us, Not About Us” – an awareness event led by students with disabilities to promote their inclusion in university life (December 2025). Read more

Monitoring and reporting

The Committee tracks the participation of underrepresented groups each year and uses the results to plan new actions. Tracking Applications and Admissions