Accent Equality at the University of Exeter

All accents are welcome and valued at the University of Exeter. 

Each of us has an accent, and we recognise how important it is to respect and celebrate this part of our identity.  

All accents are unique and represent our life experiences, such as where we grew up, our socioeconomic background, and the languages that we speak. At the University of Exeter, our students and staff represent a diverse range of accents and languages from all over the world.   

We all have assumptions arising from people’s accents. We acquire our biases as we grow up and throughout adulthood. As they are often unconscious, we actively work to be aware of them and understand how they influence our behaviour. When left unchecked, biases can lead to discrimination. 

Examples of accent discrimination might include making fun of someone’s speech, criticising the formality of someone’s speech, or disregarding someone’s ideas based on an assumption that they lack intelligence, ability or experience due to their accent. It is important to recognise these forms of accent bias so that we can work together to reduce them and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. We respect how people express themselves, regardless of their accent, in both academic and social contexts at university. 

Creating a fair, socially just and inclusive society is at the heart of our mission. Respecting each other's accent and language background is an essential step towards ensuring that all students and staff feel that they belong, can thrive,

We do not disregard what others say because of their accent, we do not mimic or mock their speech, and we do not make assumptions about their background or ability. We respect how people express themselves, regardless of their accent, in academic and social contexts at the University.

If you have experienced discrimination related to your accent and this experience has impacted your wellbeing and/or sense of safety, or you would like to receive support, you can report your experience using Support and Report.  

If you would like to speak to someone about your experience, you can also speak to an Academic Lead for Student Support (Inclusion and Racial Equality). 

This statement has been adapted from the University of Leeds statement. It was co-created by university students and staff (Mia Taylor-Seal, Ella Marston, Professor Karen Walshe and Jennie Fox) in January 2026, in consultation with the University’s Wellbeing, Inclusion and Culture team and approved by the University of Exeter in May 2026.