Athena SWAN Charter

James LushAthena SWAN AdviserEquality Challenge Unit

What is Athena SWAN?

- Recognition scheme for HEIs’ commitment to the retention and advancement of women in STEMM- Independent, publicly funded research institutes also eligible to join as of yesterday!

2005 = 10 founder HEI members2014 = 100 members (including most of this group), over 259 award holders (125 applications pending)

Athena SWAN

2 rounds of awards per year

Managed and owned by ECU

Funded by: ECU; Royal Society; Biochemical Society; Department of Health; Scottish Funding Council; Department of Business, Innovation and Skills; and membership fees. (Departmental submission fee being introduced)

Athena SWAN universityawards

Bronze universitysolid foundation for eliminating gender bias and developing inclusive culturerequired to get departmental awards

Silver universitysignificant record of activity and achievement in promoting gender equality and in addressing challenges across the full range of STEMM (requires awards from majority of departments) -> currently only four

The Athena SWAN awardsBronze departmentidentified particular challengesplanned activities for the future

Silver departmentsignificant record of activity and achievementdemonstrating impact of implemented activities

Gold departmentsignificant sustained progression and achievement (requires current Silver departmental award) beacons of achievement in gender equalitychampions of Athena SWAN and good practice -> currently only four of these too

Application forms ask for dataand evidence around these areas:

Key career transition pointsAppointment and promotion processes

Career developmentProvisions for career development and career development activities

Organisation and cultureManagement structures and organisational values and ethos

Flexibility and managing career breaksFlexibility and sustainable careers and managing career breaks

Athena SWAN principles1. Commitment and action from everyone, at all levels of the organisation2. Change cultures and attitudes across the organisation3. Examine the absence of diversity at management and policy-making levels4. Address the high loss rate of women in science5. Recognise the consequences of short-term contracts for retention and progression of women6. Active consideration of personal and structural obstacles to making the transition from PhD to a sustainable academic career

To join the charter, the university’s VC or equivalent must send us a letter stating commitment to these

Why engage?- Thorough process of self and community-led -reflection

- Means and onus for implementing change

- Focal point to formalise and embed existing good practise

- Recognition by potential applicants

- General move towards increased transparency

- Platform from which to investigate other disparities we don’t currently explicitly ask about (e.g. grant application and success rates)

- Promoting inclusive working practices to increase the retention of valued staff, especially womenOf this group, Sheffield Hallam University has achieved the most success in terms of the actual

number of awards

*See the Impact Report on our website

Take note of the first time success rate!

Some important points- Data – knowing ‘where they are’ (benchmarking data from HESA is available on our website)

- Academic/senior management involvement and buy-in – reflected in status, composition and embedding of the Self Assessment Team -> catalysing genuine change

- Real community engagement

- Honesty, with yourself and externally. Acknowledge cultural change doesn’t take place overnight

Developments

1. Appeals process2. Good practise fact-sheets (updated)3. More workshops3. Improved forms, followed by online submission system4. ECU gender equality charter mark (GEM) trial (and separate race equality mark in consultation stage)5. New, independent evaluation6. GENDER-NET (www.ecu.ac.uk/our-projects/gender-net)

7. Possible expansion to Rep. of Ireland

http://www.athenaswan.org.ukProcess guidance, handbook, FAQs, awards booklets, annual reports, links to published submissions (not exemplars) http://www.ecu.ac.uk

Questions?

athenaswan@ecu.ac.uk@Athena_SWAN