WORLD EXPERTS will gather at a free conference next week to debate and provide a comparative study of the effects of affirmative action policies of various countries in which they have been implemented.

The conference will base its discussions on papers by leading authorities from countries with specialist experience of affirmative action policies. These will include experts from Canada, Fiji, India, Malaysia, Namibia, Northern Ireland, South Africa and the USA, who will contribute and provide evidence-based research that UK policymakers clearly need.

Event host the British Academy says, that 'although there has been extensive analysis of these measures in individual countries, their effectiveness has not as yet been rigorously assessed comparatively or from a cross-disciplinary perspective'.

They add, "Women only shortlists; the numbers of working class children admitted to Oxbridge; ethnic minorities in the Metropolitan Police - the debates around affirmative action policies in the UK have continued unabated in recent times. Yet the long term effects of such proposals remain unknown, as British policymakers have rarely sought advice from other countries with long experience in such matters, from the USA to Malaysia".

The conference is convened by leading sociologist, Anthony Heath and human rights law expert, Christopher McCrudden, who will share their experiences with other authority figures including Professor Frank Horwitz (Cranfield) who will speak about black empowerment and affirmative action in the South African labour market.

The British Academy also asserts that, 'some of the research presented will also come from closer to home, with a study (funded by the Nuffield Foundation) on the remarkable and innovative programme of affirmative action in Northern Ireland which has used legal enforcement measures to ensure both Catholics and Protestants within the country are ensured 'fair participation' in employment. This is a radically different approach to inequality of opportunity than in the rest of the UK'.

Professor Anthony Heath, Fellow of the British Academy, and a sociologist who specialises in the quantitative analysis of survey data, with a particular interest in ethnic and religious inequalities, says: "Issues of affirmative action have been at the forefront of recent debates, but those that take place in the UK remain largely ignorant on the effects these policies have.

For example, do they actually result in increased participation? Do such measures actually reduce productivity? "Drawing from international experts, we hope through this event to establish what lessons there are for Britain and the EC in tackling the issue of racial and sexual discrimination and ethnic disadvantage in employment."

The free two day conference Affirmative Action in the Labour Market: International Perspectives takes place at The British Academy, 10 Carlton House Terrace on 2-3 November from 10.30am-6.00pm each day.

The conference is co-funded by the British Academy and the Nuffield Foundation. The event is free, but registration is required at: www.britac.ac.uk/events/2009/affirmative-action/