AGCAS Awards for Excellence 2023 WINNER

BPP University win Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Award

BPP University are pleased to announce they have won the AGCAS Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Award 2023 for their Reverse Mentoring Scheme. The winner was announced at the AGCAS Awards for Excellence ceremony on 20 June 2023.

The award is for an AGCAS member service that can show demonstrable progress in achieving equality, diversity and inclusion goals through initiatives that have identified areas of under-representation amongst staff and/or students and are making a difference. This could be in relation to a range of areas including, but not restricted to gender, disability, LGBTIQ+ and Black and minority ethnic under-representation. 

BPP has a long history of working with law students and the legal profession. The BPP Reverse Mentoring Scheme represents a next level collaboration, bringing together a mutual passion for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) and widening access to the legal profession, not just for BPP students, but for all future lawyers.  

Flipping the traditional mentoring concept, students mentor law firms through a review of the firm’s approach to ED&I. Using the fresh, alternative insights offered by BPP students, the Scheme breaks down barriers and drives change in the ED&I space. The innovative scheme helps organisations gain an insight into the mindsets and experiences of students from a diverse range of backgrounds. Using the experience and alternative insights that law and non-law graduates offer, it aims to influence accessibility and drive change in the ED&I space.

Bringing together people who might not otherwise connect, it promotes a culture of inclusion. 100% of the firms who completed feedback said they would recommend the Scheme to other organisations. For students, contributing to changing organisations is hugely satisfying, as is the rare opportunity to have open, frank conversations with senior stakeholders in a law firm.

Of the winner, the judges said:

“The scheme is truly innovative and collaborative, a great idea. The nomination clearly demonstrates strong strategic impact. It’s great to see that it led to a firm appointing a Head of ED&I after they took part.”

Jessica Austen, Associate Dean of Education Services at BPP University said “we are extremely delighted to have won this award. The uptake from both our regional law firms and our students had been incredible which illustrates our mutual passion for Diversity and Inclusion and affirms how seriously the legal industry is taking this issue. 

We look forward to continuing with this scheme and developing future programmes in hope that is helps widen access to the legal profession not only for our students, but for all future lawyers”.