Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Effective learning should widen opportunity for everyone.
Inclusion is not a side commitment for IALM — it follows directly from our purpose. We believe that a better understanding of how people learn should open doors, not close them, and that the benefits of effective learning belong to people of every age, background and circumstance. A commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is therefore woven through everything we do.
We are committed to:
Equity of opportunity
We work to remove barriers to learning and to participation in our community, so that opportunity is shaped by potential, not by background or circumstance.
Inclusion in our community
We welcome members, advisers, partners and supporters from every sector, discipline and walk of life, and we value the range of perspectives they bring.
Accessibility in our work
We aim to make our research, resources and activities as accessible as possible, and to design our programmes with the needs of diverse learners and audiences in mind.
Respect and dignity for all
We do not accept discrimination, harassment or less favourable treatment of any kind, and we expect everyone connected with the Institute to treat others with honesty, dignity and respect.
We recognise that a genuine commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is not a fixed achievement but an ongoing responsibility. We will continue to listen, learn and improve, and to hold ourselves to the standards we ask of others.
Our internal processes for staff
We seek to apply the same principles within the Institute that we promote through our work. As we grow, we are committed to building an organisation — across our staff, volunteers, trustees and advisers — that is fair, inclusive and reflective of the communities we serve.
In practice, this means we are committed to:
- Fair and open recruitment. We advertise opportunities openly, assess candidates on merit against clear criteria, and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.
- An inclusive culture. We aim to create an environment in which everyone connected with the Institute feels respected, valued and able to contribute fully.
- Accessibility and flexibility. We seek to make involvement with IALM as accessible as possible, and to accommodate the varied circumstances and needs of those who work with us.
- Fairness in how we operate. We are committed to equitable, transparent practices in how we recruit, support and recognise the people who give their time and expertise.
- Continuous improvement. We will review our practices as we grow, learn from what works, and strengthen our approach over time.
We are an organisation in an early and formative stage, and we see this as an opportunity: to build inclusive practice into our foundations from the outset, rather than to retrofit it later.
We judge people by the quality of their thinking, not the shape of their CV.
The advancement of learning has always depended on bringing together able minds from every quarter — and on a willingness to recognise talent wherever it is found. IALM is built in that spirit.
We are, by conviction, open to talent. We welcome researchers and practitioners, academics and educators, established experts and emerging voices — and we draw deliberately from many disciplines, because the most interesting thinking about learning happens where fields meet. Cognitive science, psychology, education, and professional practice all have something to contribute, and so do the people who bring experience that no single discipline captures.
What we look for is not a particular title or a prescribed path, but genuine curiosity, intellectual honesty, and a commitment to advancing how people learn. We believe that:
Talent is found in many places
Insight and ability are not confined to any one background, institution or career route, and we are committed to recognising them wherever they arise.
Diversity of thought makes us stronger
Different disciplines, perspectives and experiences sharpen our thinking and improve our work.
Contribution matters more than credential
We value what people bring — their ideas, rigour and commitment — above the formal markers of status.
The door should be open
We actively seek to welcome able and committed people into our community, rather than waiting for them to find us.
Whether you are an established academic, an experienced practitioner, or someone earlier in your journey with something valuable to offer, there is a place for you in the work of the Institute.
Our commitment to openness to talent means we seek to make membership, contribution and opportunity at IALM as accessible as possible. We welcome members, advisers, volunteers and partners on the basis of their commitment and ability, not their background or connections, and we work to ensure that cost or circumstance are not obstacles to taking part. Our concessionary membership rates, bursaries and open routes to involvement are practical expressions of this commitment.
Openness to talent sits alongside, and strengthens, our wider commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion: a belief that the field of learning is at its best when the widest possible range of people are able to shape it.
