Religious Literacy Leadership in Higher Education

Having Faith - Adding Value

7 February 2011

‘Soft neutrality’: remains as far as possible independ-ent of religion and belief

‘Hard neutrality’: asserts a duty to preserve public bodies as secular

‘Repositories and resources’: faith groups are seen as a resource on which society can draw

‘Formative/collegial’: emphasises a holistic approach to education, including a spiritual dimension

Whether and if so in what ways the claim that there is a need for greater levels of religious literacy within HE involves a challenge to certain conceptions of HEIs as secular institutions

How the role of the university is contested by this kind of project and how it fits in with current priorities in HEIs

The programme works (97% approval rating) It is attractive to a diverse range of institutions, people and roles At VC and PVC level Cathedrals Group institutions participated

most and research intensives participated least At other levels, Russell Group and Alliance Group institutions

participated most and there was more religious diversity. Amongst participating VCs and PVCs none was from a minority

faith. There is a gap between senior participation and that of

everybody else Understand the relationship between senior manager

participants and others in terms of how those in non-leadership roles can influence religious literacy

Involve chaplaincies, student experience and equalities staff in more strategic thinking – and in the other direction, to broaden out ownership of religious matters from those three areas to

other parts of institutions.

Next…

More free events over the next 2 years Learning sets - networking in your area Specialist law workshops (with a fee)Specialist ‘good relations’ workshops (with a fee)Bespoke staff development on request (with a

fee)Linking with UUK and the mission groups