The brand new ‘U B YOU’ short video will officially premiere to staff and students at an event on 26^th September and showcases all the various ways that the University is supporting its students and staff in being their authentic selves while they study and work.

Shorter videos taken from the full-length piece will also be available to watch on the University’s YouTube channel and feature interviews with students including MA Dance & Choreography student, Pearl, who explains: “It is so important for people to be their true selves at university, the workplace and in life because there is only one you and you are all that matters. So don’t try to fit yourself into different moulds – be you, be unapologetically you.”

Alongside the new video, special episodes of the University’s popular podcast Bits of Beds will also be released throughout the week, catching up with students and staff about their lived experiences of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) work going on across the University. You can listen to the brand new episodes from today (25^th September) by clicking here.

Speaking on the podcast, Susan Shutter – Director of HR and Chair of the EDI Committee – said: “The EDI agenda is so close to my heart and also a very integral part of the fabric of our University. We’re creating an atmosphere where everybody feels encouraged to bring their authentic selves to the University, no matter what experiences they have had in life.”

The special edition of Bits of Beds follows the series which launched last year and all episodes – themed around topics including careers, mental health and student support – are still available to download for free and listen to on a variety of podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts. For further information about the podcast, visit: www.beds.ac.uk/podcast.

Keep an eye on the University of Bedfordshire on Twitter and Instagram to see updates of how National Inclusion Week is being celebrated throughout the week.