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/

Emailathenaswan@ecu.ac.uk

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