Athena SWAN Charter James Lush Athena SWAN Adviser Equality 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 members 2014 = 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 university awards Bronze university solid foundation for eliminating gender bias and developing inclusive culture required to get departmental awards Silver university significant 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 awards Bronze department identified particular challenges planned activities for the future Silver department significant record of activity and achievement demonstrating impact of implemented activities Gold department significant sustained progression and achievement (requires current Silver departmental award) beacons of achievement in gender equality champions of Athena SWAN and good practice -> currently only four of these too

Application forms ask for data and evidence around these areas: Key career transition points Appointment and promotion processes Career development Provisions for career development and career development activities Organisation and culture Management structures and organisational values and ethos Flexibility and managing career breaks Flexibility and sustainable careers and managing career breaks

Athena SWAN principles 1. Commitment and action from everyone, at all levels of the organisation 2. Change cultures and attitudes across the organisation 3. Examine the absence of diversity at management and policy- making levels 4. Address the high loss rate of women in science 5. Recognise the consequences of short-term contracts for retention and progression of women 6. 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 women Of 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 process 2. Good practise fact-sheets (updated) 3. More workshops 3. Improved forms, followed by online submission system 4. ECU gender equality charter mark (GEM) trial (and separate race equality mark in consultation stage) 5. New, independent evaluation 6. GENDER-NET ( 7. Possible expansion to Rep. of Irelandwww.ecu.ac.uk/our-projects/gender-net

Process guidance, handbook, FAQs, awards booklets, annual reports, links to published submissions (not exemplars)