At UWC, anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion (ARDEI) are central to our mission of uniting people, nations and cultures for peace and sustainability, and we are committed to fostering ARDEI in everything we do. ARDEI initiatives and actions are divided into three areas across UWC International:
The ARDEI Committee is part of the UWC International Board. It sets the ARDEI strategic framework for the UWC movement and supports schools, colleges, national committees and short courses in advancing ARDEI principles and initiatives, ensuring a unified approach.
The UWC International Office (UWCIO) ARDEI group focuses on the role of UWCIO as an employer. The group is responsible for deepening ARDEI awareness and action within the UWC International Office, and for how the different teams can best support stakeholders in their work, with an ARDEI lens.
National committees select and support students from all backgrounds, putting deliberate diversity at the centre of their activities. The national committees are supported through capacity building programmes, which include a specific focus on diversity and ARDEI.
At the same time, we see ARDEI and safeguarding as interconnected and part of the same continuous effort to challenge power imbalances, safeguard people and guarantee that people and communities can feel safe to speak up. Please refer to this page and our Common Standards for Safeguarding for more specific information on this topic.
The UWC Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ARDEI) Committee
The ARDEI Committee is one of the committees of the UWC International Board. It provides a strategic framework to guide UWC entities in developing and implementing shared principles for ARDEI practices, fostering a unified approach across the UWC movement.
What does the ARDEI Committee do?
The ARDEI Committee offers guidance and consultation to embed ARDEI principles across the organisation. The Committee priorities can be summarised in the following key areas:
- Develop shared principles for ARDEI practice across the UWC movement;
- Promote the adoption of these principles across schools and colleges and national committees;
- Understand opportunities for improvements in relation to ARDEI across the movement and make recommendations for resources and training, to cultivate ARDEI practices;
- Provide support to schools, colleges and ARDEI leads as needed.
How does the UWC ARDEI Committee work?
The ARDEI Committee is made up of individuals from diverse backgrounds and various UWC affiliations, including representatives from national committees, schools and colleges, and UWC International governance bodies. Members are selected from a pool of applicants from across the movement to advance UWC’s work in this area. The group is led by Luis Bueno, a UWC alumnus.
History of the Committee
In May 2020, the murder of George Floyd was an important wake up call about the sustained, painful and damaging presence of racism in institutions and communities around the world. This included UWC. Shortly after, the UWC International Board unanimously agreed to form the Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ARDEI) Committee – in recognition and encouragement of those voices in the UWC community pointing out manifestations of racism within UWC institutions.
The UWC International Office Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ARDEI) group
UWC International Office (UWCIO) is the executive arm of the UWC International Board with offices in London and Berlin and colleagues working remotely worldwide. UWCIO collaborates with a range of stakeholders to support UWC schools, colleges, national committees and short courses, driving the day-to-day activities and initiatives of the movement.
ARDEI is foundational to achieving the UWC mission and sustaining an environment in which every person can thrive. This includes reflecting on the role of UWCIO as an employer and striving to create a workplace that reflects these values — in this sense, the UWCIO ARDEI group was created in 2024.
What does the UWC International Office’s ARDEI group do?
UWCIO’s ARDEI group is guided by the ARDEI policy that frames how it operates and aligns with the wider work of the UWC ARDEI Committee. This team, guided by a strategic focus group, drives progress in key areas:
- Track progress and measure the impact of ARDEI initiatives.
- Education of staff on ARDEI topics and foster open dialogue;
- Enhance recruitment and retention practices to promote diversity, inclusion and belonging;
- Embed ARDEI across organisational functions;
ARDEI at UWC national committees
Deliberate diversity
National committees represent UWC in over 150 countries and territories around the world, locally selecting and supporting students from all backgrounds. The selection model of UWC focuses on deliberate diversity, ensuring a wide variety of backgrounds and identities, which encourages and enables critical thinking and learning opportunities outside the classroom.
Capacity building
The national committees are supported by programmes to build institutional capacity and facilitate peer-learning in different areas of development, including diversity and ARDEI topics. Through specific projects to foster collaboration and advance ARDEI initiatives, national committees sustain the efforts towards deliberate diversity.
Get in touch
If you want to report an experience of racism, discrimination or prejudice at UWC, please direct your concerns directly to your UWC school or college, national committee or other UWC entity where you experienced this incident – they will be best placed to understand and address the issue appropriately.
If you prefer not to address the UWC entity concerned directly, you can report to the UWC International Safeguarding hotline and team.