Work

LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Policies in Higher Education and Research: A Critical Scoping Review

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction Higher education and research organisations increasingly adopt equality and diversity measures, yet LGBTIQ+ inclusion remains uneven and frequently subsumed under broader EDI agendas. This scoping review maps how institutional policies and strategies address LGBTIQ+ inclusion and how intersectionality is (or not) incorporated. Methods We conducted a critical scoping review following Arksey and O’Malley and PRISMA-ScR. Searches across major databases and targeted sources (2000–2025; English, Spanish and Catalan) identified peer-reviewed and grey literature analysing institutional LGBTIQ+ policies/strategies in higher education and research. Data were charted using a multi-level framework (governance, campus climate, curriculum/pedagogy, services/support, and monitoring) with intersectionality as a cross-cutting lens. Results Fifty-seven publications (2008–2025) were included. Evidence clusters around governance instruments (equality plans, policies and leadership commitments), campus climate interventions, resource centres and support infrastructures, curriculum and staff training, and emerging monitoring practices. Studies report improved belonging and perceived safety where policies are explicit and resourced, but also recurrent implementation gaps and ‘non-performative’ dynamics. Intersectionality is often referenced but rarely operationalised in policy design or evaluation. Conclusions Institutional LGBTIQ+ inclusion is a multi-dimensional field of action, but current approaches remain fragmented, weakly resourced and insufficiently intersectional. Policy Implications Universities should explicitly name LGBTIQ+ communities in governance instruments, embed measures structurally (resources, accountability and quality assurance), and develop ethical, intersectional monitoring systems co-created with LGBTIQ+ stakeholders.

Source: Sexuality Research and Social Policy

DOI: 10.1007/s13178-026-01322-9

Authors: Javier Quiros Gomez, Rachel Louise Palmen

Institution: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya

Language: English

Topic: Gender, Sexuality, and Education

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Gender equality, Quality education, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,990