Athena SWAN

Aims

Some of our strategic aims and objectives are:

To promote and address gender equality and EDI matters among the student body (PGR, PGT, UG, PGCE)
To provide Inclusive professional development support across all contract types and gender
To enhance awareness of Athena Swan initiatives and expectations across the Department
To develop a more intersectional approach to equality and diversity with particular reference to race, ethnicity, sexuality, and disability.

To identify the remaining barriers to women’s progression into senior roles (Grade 8 and above) To develop a more intersectional approach to equality and diversity issues, with particular reference to race and ethnicity, sexuality, and disability.

Our Equality and Diversity strategy is informed by our departmental culture surveys, is focused on clear and measurable aims.

Achievements

Improved gender balance and wider representation of staff involved in Equality and Diversity work in the Department
Development of Equality and Diversity web pages
Improvements to flexible working opportunities for professional and support staff
Allocation of a weekly ‘research day’ to academics in annual timetabling processes
Greater diversity of staff taking on key leadership roles (eg early career researchers and staff on teaching-only and part-time contracts)
Improved representation of women in senior management roles
Improvement of research leave policy to support staff returning from long-term leave eg caring leave or long-term sickness
Introduction of departmental mentoring scheme for academic staff
Appointment of departmental Mental Health champion