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Transcript of Defining an excellent research culture: Gender, diversity, equality and the Athena SWAN Charter Dr...
Defining an excellent research culture: Gender, diversity, equality and the Athena SWAN Charter
Dr Ruth E Gilligan, Athena SWAN Manager
RENU workshop, October 2015
Athena SWAN Charter
= Recognition scheme of excellence in women’s employment in STEMM
= 2005: 10 members= 2015: 134 members
= Celebrated our 10th anniversary in July 2015
STEMM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths, Medicine
April 2015 round:= 138 submissions= 96 awards= 70% success rate
The Athena SWAN awards
533 award holders
80 university awards= 73 Bronze, 7 Silver
13 research institute awards= 11 Bronze, 2 Silver
440 departmental awards= 306 Bronze, 127 Silver, 7 Gold
Athena SWAN awards – University
Bronze – 73 Bronze universitiesself-assessment & analysisidentify issuesput in place a solid foundation
Silver – 7 Silver universitiesevidence of progress and achievementmajority of STEMM departments to hold AS awards
Gold – Launched in July 2015beacons of achievement, champions of good practicemajority of departments to hold Silver awards, at least one to hold Gold award
Athena SWAN awards – Department
Bronze – 306 Bronze departmentsidentified challengesplanned activities for the future
Silver – 127 Silver departmentsongoing activityevidence of impact
Gold – 7 Gold departmentssignificant record of activity and impactbeacons for gender equality, Athena SWAN & good practice
Athena SWAN: post-May 2015
= Recognition scheme of commitment to gender equality across institutions
= Expanded in 2015 to focus on gender equality as a whole, and to take in AHSSBL
=Adapted from Athena SWAN and ECU’s gender equality charter mark (GEM)
= Based on consultation with the sector
AHSSBL = Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Business, Law
Athena SWAN: Key changes
= Inclusion of professional and support staff
= Inclusion of trans staff and students
= Consideration of intersectionality
=Questions added
Athena SWAN: Some new questions
= Inclusion in the REF‒ numbers eligible and submitted
= Support for grant applications‒ gender differences in application and success rates
= Contract functions and types‒ Research and teaching, zero-hour contracts
How does Athena SWAN work?
= An individualised approach; not a box-ticking exercise
= Athena SWAN requires members to:= Collect data on women’s progression within organisation= Critically analyse their data= Identify reasons for exclusion and under-representation= Develop an action plan to address these= Show progress over time
The award judging process
= Two submission rounds a year
= Peer-review process, judged by a panel
= 5 panellists, 1 Chair – academics, E&D/HR, subject specialists
= 1 moderator, 1 note taker – ECU staff
= Panellist and Chair training being rolled out
Possible outcomes of a panel
= Award conferred or renewed
= Award conferred or renewed at a lower level
= Request additional information (exceptional)
=No award conferred
= Comprehensive written feedback to every applicant:= Outlines specific reasons the application did not meet criteria= Highlights good practice= Suggests areas in which to improve
Why does it work?
= Requires thorough self-assessment and reflection to understand individual data and challenges
= Set up by and for the academic community
= Led and championed by senior academics:buy-in from the top
= Staff consultation and engagement
= Awards are only valid for 4 years
Athena SWAN Evaluation Report 2014
= Evidence of sustainable change
=Women – improved visibility, increased self-confidence, enhanced leadership skills
= All staff – positive differences in career satisfaction, development opportunities
= Admin & technical staff report greater sense of belonging
“[Athena SWAN is] the most effective lever for change I have come across in 12 years of equality work.”
– Institutional champion
The benefits of Athena SWAN
=Highlights areas to make positive changes
= Provides a focal point for existing informal good practices
= Increases awareness of career progression issues
= Encourages increased transparency
=Demonstrates good working environment to job applicants
= Flexible to context
Athena SWAN: Research Institutes
= Pilot in 2012/2013, mainstreamed 2014
= Application forms were amended to be made appropriate to RIs, based on feedback
= Targeted workshops, site visits
= Post-May 2015 process does not yet apply to RIs
Athena SWAN: Republic of Ireland
=Official launch February 2015
= Committee established to advise and act as conduit between ECU and HE sector
= Reviewed and tailored processes; regional workshops
= First submissions April 2015: two universities and three departments were successful in gaining awards
=Adapting post-May 2015 process will be tied in with the evaluations of the pilot
Athena SWAN: Australia
=Australian Academy of Sciences has set up a Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) committee to pilot the Athena SWANprocess
= Pilot includes 32 institutions: universities, medical research institutes and publicly funded research agencies
= Country-wide initiative, across all Australian states
= Pilot launched in Sept 2015, will run until August 2017
Athena SWAN: Learned societies
= First application from Royal Society in April 2015
= Amended application form used – to be edited in response to feedback from RS application
= Application to take into consideration society staff and members
= Interest from a number of other learned societies and professional bodies, including the Medical Schools Council
Further information available
Website
www.ecu.ac.uk/equality-charter-marks/athena-swan/
Athena SWAN handbook
http://www.ecu.ac.uk/equality-charters/athena-swan/athena-swan-resources/
Athena SWAN: Improvements
=Applicants have right to appeal decision
=Applicants may object to specific panellists
=Mechanism for raising objections to assessment/award
= ECU may put application to new panel if the decision is inconsistent
= Chair training
=More complete guidance in new handbook
= Revision of sabbatical policy with the aim of enhancing research and career development opportunities for women and staff from minority/disadvantaged groups.
- Abertay University (Nov 2014)
= Range of flexible-working options that can be considered on either a temporary or permanent basis.
- University of Dundee (Nov 2013)
Examples of good practice
= Headhunters are instructed to ensure a diverse pool of applicants for senior posts.
- Sheffield Hallam University (April 2013)
= Mentoring arrangements are discussed during recruitment and attempts are made to match women with positive female role models.
- Heriot-Watt University (April 2013)
Examples of good practice
Athena SWAN: 10 Principles
= Recognise talents of all=Advance gender equality= Recognise disciplinary differences= Tackle the gender pay gap= Remove obstacles=Address short-term contracts= Tackle discrimination against trans people=Demonstrate senior commitment=Make structural and cultural changes= Consider intersectionality