13 July 2018

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Athena SWAN

Achieving Bronze

Athena SWAN Charter Mark =

Gender Equality

(Female and Male)

Application process

requiring large amount of

data analysis

Bronze, Silver, Gold Award

levels

Self Assessment Team (SAT)

with a SWAN lead managing

process

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Quick Overview

Departmental Bronze Award

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“Bronze department awards recognise that in addition to institution-

wide policies, the department is working to promote gender equality

and to identify and address challenges particular to the department and

discipline.”

• So in other words….it’s the starting point

(analysis, identify the issues, put effective action

plan in place)

• However, the panel will expect some form of

action or activity to date!

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“In addition to the future planning required for Bronze department

recognition, Silver department awards recognise that the department

has taken action in response to previously identified challenges and

can demonstrate the impact of these actions.”

And for Silver…

• So in other words…Analyse the activity to date,

show the impact, analyse data, identify further

issues, put effective action plan in place.

• Includes Professional Services Staff

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Guest Speaker

Dr Angela Attwood

Athena SWAN Lead for School of

Experimental Psychology

Bronze Award - April 2017 Round

Disclaimer!

• AM NOT

• SWAN expert

• NOT FOCUSSING

• SWAN processes

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• AM

• Achieved Bronze (with good f/back!)

• FOCUSSING

• My approach and experience

My approach – risky?

• Lot of work – so what do I want from it?

• Realistic assessment – ruled out silver early

• Opportunity to develop actions/self-assess that we thought important

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My approach – practicalities / plan (6 months)

• Building a SAT (and role delegation)

• Work plan + defined timeline (incl. consultation)

• Dedicated writing slots

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Our self-assessment team

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• Core SAT – n=12 (EDIC + representatives)

• Consultant members (n=3)

• Senior mgmt (HoS)

• SWAN expertise (Vikki and previous lead)

• Undergraduate sub-group (n=2)

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PHASE ONE:

• basic data collation and analysis

• draft core sections

• plan of next step data collection

PHASE TWO:

• focus groups

• All-level survey

Delegation of sections

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My approach – key principles

• 1. Using phase two activity to understand outcomes of phase one review (informed / targeted

approach to data collection)

• 2. Understand causality (to inform action)

• 3. Understand local issues (testing assumptions)

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Understanding causality

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“In order to understand the gender

imbalance within our School and

discipline, we conducted a sub-

discipline review to assess

whether gender imbalances differ

across Psychological sub-

disciplines.”

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Understanding local issues

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Understanding local issues

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More grants

Larger grants

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My experience

• Small chunks of writing made it very achievable

• Delegating information gathering better

• Delegating writing = limited success

• Ask people to give you text – NOT comments!

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Tips and recommendations

• Be realistic, innovative and use the opportunity

• Clear ownership (delegation of writing???)

• Clear work plan and timeline (realistic) – consultations?

• Know and use available support

• Lay foundation for silver – baseline data?

• Remember to declare intention to submit

• Independent review – aim for clarity

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Resources and Useful

Information

ECU Website: https://www.ecu.ac.uk/

Athena SWAN Charter awards handbook,

May 2015

Athena SWAN Good Practice Initiatives

Web page: https://www.ecu.ac.uk/equality-

charters/athena-swan/athena-swan-good-

practice-in-heis/

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