A Wales-wide Community of Practice for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) leaders in higher education is entering its first full year of activity following the agreement of new Terms of Reference and a shared programme of work for 2026-27.

Sgroliwch i lawr os byddai’n well gennych ddarllen hwn yn Gymraeg

Supported by Medr and facilitated by Advance HE, the Community of Practice brings together EDI leaders and practitioners from across Welsh higher education to share experience, explore common challenges and identify opportunities for collective learning and collaboration.

The Community has been developed collaboratively by its members and aims to provide a trusted space for dialogue, reflective practice and professional development. Through participation, members will work together to strengthen their practice, build connections across institutions and contribute to meaningful change across the sector.

The newly agreed Terms of Reference establish a shared purpose and framework for how the Community will operate, recognising both the opportunities and complexities associated with leading EDI work within higher education.

Over the coming academic year, the Community will focus on three priority areas:

• Mapping current activity, expertise and emerging priorities across Welsh higher education
• Supporting professional learning, capability development and reflective practice for EDI leaders
• Planning and delivering a sector-wide conference to share insight, learning and practice

The programme will include a combination of in-person and online workshops, designed to support collaboration while enabling participation from colleagues across Wales.

Commenting on the continued development of the Community, Kieron Rees, Director of Learner Experience at Medr, said:

“The EDI Community of Practice represents an important opportunity for colleagues across Welsh higher education to learn from one another, share expertise and explore common challenges together.  We are pleased to support a space that encourages collaboration, reflection and collective learning across the sector.”

Sarah Hubbard, Senior Consultant, Senior Leadership and Strategic Transformation at Advance HE, said:

“One of the strengths of the Community has been the willingness of members to engage openly with the realities of EDI leadership and to contribute generously to one another’s learning.  The Terms of Reference provide a strong foundation for the next phase of activity and create the conditions for meaningful collaboration across institutions.”

The Community operates on the principles of shared ownership, reciprocity and respectful dialogue.  Its approach recognises the importance of creating space for different perspectives, supporting psychological safety and enabling honest discussion of complex issues affecting the sector.

As its work develops, the Community will generate shared learning, insight and examples of practice that will contribute to ongoing conversations about equality, diversity and inclusion across Welsh higher education.

Arweinwyr Cydraddoldeb, Amrywiaeth a Chynhwysiant Addysg Uwch Cymru yn dod ynghyd mewn Cymuned Ymarfer ar draws y Sector

Mae Cymuned Ymarfer ar gyfer arweinwyr Cydraddoldeb, Amrywiaeth a Chynhwysiant ym maes addysg uwch ledled Cymru yn dechrau ar ei blwyddyn lawn gyntaf o weithgarwch yn dilyn cytuno ar Gylch Gorchwyl newydd a chyd-raglen waith ar gyfer 2026-27.

Mae’r Gymuned Ymarfer, sy’n cael ei hwyluso gan Ymlaen AU gyda chefnogaeth Medr, yn tynnu ynghyd arweinwyr ac ymarferwyr Cydraddoldeb, Amrywiaeth a Chynhwysiant o bob rhan o addysg uwch Cymru er mwyn rhannu profiad, archwilio heriau cyffredin a nodi cyfleoedd ar gyfer cyd-ddysgu a chydweithio.

Mae’r Gymuned wedi’i datblygu ar y cyd gan ei haelodau, a’i nod yw darparu gofod dibynadwy ar gyfer trafod, ymarfer myfyriol a datblygiad proffesiynol. Drwy gyfranogiad, bydd aelodau’n cydweithio i gryfhau eu harfer, i feithrin cysylltiadau ar draws sefydliadau ac i gyfrannu at greu newid ystyrlon ar draws y sector.

Mae’r Cylch Gorchwyl newydd y cytunwyd arno’n sefydlu pwrpas a fframwaith cyffredin ar gyfer sut bydd y Gymuned yn gweithredu, gan gydnabod y cyfleoedd a’r cymhlethdodau sy’n gysylltiedig ag arwain gwaith Cydraddoldeb, Amrywiaeth a Chynhwysiant ym maes addysg uwch.

Dros y flwyddyn academaidd nesaf, bydd y Gymuned yn canolbwyntio ar dri maes blaenoriaeth:

• Mapio arbenigedd a gweithgarwch presennol a blaenoriaethau sy’n dod i’r amlwg ym myd addysg uwch Cymru
• Cefnogi dysgu proffesiynol, datblygu galluogrwydd ac ymarfer myfyriol ar gyfer arweinwyr Cydraddoldeb, Amrywiaeth a Chynhwysiant
• Cynllunio a darparu cynhadledd ar draws y sector i rannu gwybodaeth, dysg ac arfer

Bydd y rhaglen yn cynnwys cyfuniad o weithdai wyneb yn wyneb ac ar-lein, gyda’r nod o gefnogi cydweithio a galluogi cyfranogiad gan gydweithwyr o bob rhan o’r wlad.

Wrth wneud sylwadau ar ddatblygiad parhaus y Gymuned, meddai Kieron Rees, Cyfarwyddwr Profiad Dysgwyr Medr:

“Mae’r Gymuned Ymarfer Cydraddoldeb, Amrywiaeth a Chynhwysiant yn gyfle pwysig i gydweithwyr ar draws addysg uwch Cymru ddysgu oddi wrth ei gilydd, rhannu arbenigedd ac archwilio heriau cyffredin gyda’i gilydd.  Rydyn ni’n falch o gefnogi gofod sy’n annog cydweithio, myfyrio a chyd-ddysgu ar draws y sector.”

Meddai Sarah Hubbard, Uwch Ymgynghorydd, Uwch Arweinyddiaeth a Thrawsnewid Strategol yn AU Ymlaen:

“Un o gryfderau’r Gymuned hyd yn hyn yw parodrwydd aelodau i ymgysylltu’n agored â realiti arweinyddiaeth Cydraddoldeb, Amrywiaeth a Chynhwysiant ac i gyfrannu’n hael at ddysg ei gilydd.  Mae’r Cylch Gorchwyl yn darparu sylfaen gref ar gyfer y cam nesaf o weithgarwch ac yn creu’r amodau ar gyfer cydweithio ystyrlon ar draws sefydliadau.”

Mae’r Gymuned yn gweithredu ar sail egwyddorion cyd-berchnogaeth, cilyddoldeb a thrafod parchus.  Mae ei hagwedd yn cydnabod pwysigrwydd creu gofod ar gyfer gwahanol safbwyntiau, cefnogi diogelwch seicolegol a galluogi trafodaeth onest ynghylch materion cymhleth sy’n effeithio ar y sector.

Wrth i’w gwaith ddatblygu, bydd y Gymuned yn creu cyd-ddysgu, gwybodaeth ac enghreifftiau o arfer fydd yn cyfrannu at sgyrsiau parhaus am gydraddoldeb, amrywiaeth a chynhwysiant ar draws byd addysg uwch Cymru.