Delivering equality and diversity training within a university setting through drama-based training

United Kingdom equalities legislation places general and specific legal duties upon higher education institutions to promote equality and diversity positively. This includes an increased emphasis on training and development, especially in the context of promoting and raising awareness of equality and diversity within an organizational setting. The authors evaluate the impact and effectiveness of drama as a means of delivering equality and diversity training. The legal, business, and moral case for diversity is explored, highlighting and investigating the important role of effective equality and diversity training. Drama-based diversity training is considered within the context of a local university initiative aimed primarily at middle management. Within this initiative, professional actors explored the effects of discrimination in the workplace. The authors frame their findings in the evaluation model proposed by Kirkpatrick (1998). The authors argue that drama-based training is an effective tool for delivering equality and diversity training and present evidence for such training as having a positive impact. In particular, drama-based training increases the confidence and capacity of university middle managers to challenge inappropriate behavior in the workplace.