8. ACTION PLAN
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
CBE / Chemical and Biological EngineeringHoD / Head of Department
DAA / Department Academic Advisor
DAM / Department Administration Manager
DTM / Department Technical Manager
GES / Gender Equality Survey
L / Lecturer
OC / Opportunities Committee
P&E / Professor and Emeritus Professor
PaS / Professional and Support
PDRA / Postgraduate Research Associate
PGR / Postgraduate Research
PGT / Postgraduate Taught
R / Reader
SAsT / Self-Assessment Sub Team (see Figure 1)
SL / Senior Lecturer
SRDS / Staff Review and Development Scheme
SUT / Senior University Teacher
UG / Undergraduate
UT / University Teacher
WAM / Workload Allocation Model
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Key Future Aims:
To increase intake of home, female postgraduate researchers by 50% each year from 2017 (A2.4, A2.5, A7.7, A7.8)
To increase our %female of research staff to 30% by 2020 (A3.1 – A3.4)
A coherent and supportive environment for all staff by improving awareness of policies (A5.1, A5.2, A6.1, A7.2)
Ensure that females achieve their maximum potential through the fair distribution of work (A4.3, A7.5)
1. Self-Assessment Process: capturing information accurately; raising awareness
Aim / Progress to Date / Actions / Who / When / Measure of SuccessA1.1 / 2016 OC includes reps / a. / Monitor membership of OC and / OC SAsT / Balanced representation of
Ensure balanced and / at different career / check gender balance as well as / Review / staff and student groups i.e.
diverse membership / stage and work-life / range of other factors including / annually from / male and female where
of OC that gives a / balance and a UG / ethnicity, experience, mode of / Dec 2016; / possible, reflective of
voice to everyone in / student; a male PDRA / working / when a / composition of department
the department / would be beneficial / member leaves
b. / Rotate membership after 3 years / All OC / or membership / List of members included on
and recruit new members to / rotated / departmental handbook by
positions before previous ones / Dec 2016 and membership
leave to facilitate handover / rotated by Dec 2019
c. / Include male PDRA / OC SAsT / Jan 2017 / Male PDRA representative
on OC by end Jan 2017
A1.2 / Time is allocated in the / a. / Include time commitment of OC / HoD/ / July 2017 / Membership of OC included
Ensure recognition / current department / in new WAM / Director of / in WAM from July 2017
of contribution to / WAM and should be / Teaching
OC / present in the new
WAM and discussed in / b. / Include time commitment in / All OC / July 2017 then / Staff recognition of time on
SRDS meetings / SRDS form and discuss / annually / OC at SRDS from July 2017
contribution at SRDS meeting
with line manager
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Aim / Progress to Date / Proposed Actions / Who / When / Measure of Success
A1.3 / The role of staff was / Obtain the list of staff on the email list / Champion / With surveys in / List of staff invited to
Ensure the role of / recorded in / GES for / used for invitation to the survey and / June 2017, / participate in survey along
staff invited to take / those / that / responded / check roles / then annually / with survey results and
part in the GES is / but there is uncertainty / response rates accurately
known / in / response / rates / calculated from June 2017
because / of / staff / that
didn’t respond
A1.4 / The 2016 survey / a. / Revise current GES with separate / All OC / May 2017 and / Increased response rates to
Increase response / response rates were: / sections for Academic and PaS; / review in May / >80% on GES and >70% on
rate of staff and PGR / 73% of Academics; 69% / review questions on PGR and / 2018 / PGR and PDRA survey in
students on gender / PaS; 49% PGR; 60% / PDRA survey to ensure they are / 2017 and >90% on GES and
equality survey / PDRA / relevant / >80% on PGR and PDRA
(GES) / Champion/S / June 2017, / survey in 2018 and 2019
b. / Advertise GES and separate PGR / ecretary of / then annually
and PDRA survey by email and in / OC
staff meetings
All OC / June 2017,
c. / Encourage staff and PDRAs to / then annually
complete survey by discussion
with OC reps
A1.5 / In 2016 GES, 66% of / a. / Analyse results of surveys at OC / Exec/all OC / August 2017 / >80% of staff report
Increase awareness / staff reported that they / and Exec meetings and compile / then annually / informed of gender equality
of gender equality / were / informed / of / report / matters in GES in 2017 and
issues and Athena / gender / equality / >90% of staff report
SWAN / matters. / GES report / b. / Report on surveys sent to all staff / Champion / Annually after / informed of gender equality
was sent to all staff and / and highlighted at staff meeting / August / matters in GES in 2018
highlighted / in / staff
meeting
Cont. over page
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Aim / Progress to Date / Proposed Actions / Who / When / Measure of Success
A1.5 cont. / Athena / SWAN / issues / c. / Record progress on Action plan in / Champion / December / Progress towards Athena
Continue to raise / and / Action / plan / online / spreadsheet / on / 2016 then / SWAN actions recorded in
awareness of gender / discussed / at / staff / departmental handbook / and / every other / departmental handbook
equality issues and / meetings in 2016 / highlight at staff meetings / staff meeting / every 3 months from March
Athena SWAN / 2017
d. / Update / departmental website / Marketing / February 2017, / Department website up to
with information related / to / and / then review / date on gender equality
gender equality issues / Communicati / annually / matters by March 2017 and
ons officer / updated in March 2018 and
2019
A1.6 / Champions / attended / Attend Faculty and University Athena / Champions / At meetings / Action plan updated to
Share good practice / Faculty / level meetings / SWAN meetings to: / every two / reflect new good practice
at Faculty and / every two / months to / a. / Take on board good practice from / months from / that can be implemented in
University level / discuss / previous / other departments / Feb 2017; / CBE from March 2017
actions / with / other / b. / Disseminate new actions / that / Disseminate
Champions in 2016 / have been successful / more widely in / Other champions report use
2018/19 i.e. / of successful CBE actions in
national / 2018 meetings to CBE
meetings / Champion
- Students: capturing data, maintaining good gender balance; ensuring success; increasing home female PGRs
Aim / Progress to Date / Actions / Who / When / Measure of Success
A2.1 / In the past 3 years, the / a. Monitor UG application / Admissions / September / The %female of UG
Maintain %female of / average %female of UG / (including foundation year) and / Tutor / 2017 then / students >33% (or 5%
total UG students / students was 33% / entry data by gender and / annually; / above the national average,
compared to 26% / determine %female of cohort / review each / whichever is higher)
Cont. below / nationally / year
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Aim / Progress to Date / Actions / Who / When / Measure of Success
A2.1 cont. / Website and publicity / b. / Check there is a good gender & / Director of / July 2017 or / Publicity material shows
Maintain %female of / material was / ethnicity balance in all new / Marketing / when new / good gender balance for
total UG students / monitored annually. / student marketing and / and / material is / 2017 – 2020 with >40%
We are in the process / advertising materials / Recruitment / produced / females across images
of a major overhaul of
our brochures and / c. / Perform UG entry survey to / Personal / October 2017 / Results of survey taken into
website to be / determine reasons for choosing / tutors / in first tutorial / account by admissions team
completed in 2017. / us and ensure those activities
continue
Last UG focus group / d. / Hold focus group with 10+ / Champion / October 2017 / UG focus group held within
took place in 2014. / female UG students to discuss / review in Oct / first five weeks of term
marketing material and activities / 2018
%female ambassadors / Positive feedback from
on open days is / focus group and other
typically 50% / female UGs regarding
marketing material and
recruitment activities in
e. / Run friendly open days with 50% / Admissions / Open days / 2017 or amended activities
female ambassadors: recorded / Tutor / scheduled for / in 2018
by admissions team / June each year
Open days run 50% female
ambassadors
A2.2 / In the past three years, / a. / Determine final year / Student / Analyse 2016 / Same proportion of females
Ensure our female / on average 72% of / performance by gender to find / support / data in / and males achieve 1st and
UGs continue to / females and 75% of / whether females and males / office / February 2017, / 2.1
complete and / males obtained 2.1 or / perform equally well / then monitor
perform as well as / 1st / annually
males
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Aim / Progress to Date / Actions / Who / When / Measure of Success
A2.2 cont. / In the past three years, / b. / Determine numbers of leavers by / Year Tutors / July 2017 and / Numbers of leavers
Ensure our female / 1.3 females and 6.3 / gender and determine reasons / annually / recorded and reasons for
UGs continue to / males left per year / for leaving / Sept 2017 / leaving known in 2017 and
complete and / each year after
perform as well as / 75% of female leavers
males / gave academic reasons / c. / Highlight buddy/mentoring / Director of / January 2018
opportunities / Student
Support / Reduce female leavers with
d. / Determine first year / academic issues to 25% by
performance in exams and / Student / February 2018 / 2018/2019
introduce more academic / Support / and review in
support in personal tutor / Office / Sept 2018
sessions if necessary
A2.3 / In the past three years, / a. / Determine application and entry / Admissions / Sept 2017, / %female of total PGT is
Increase our % / %female of total PGT / baseline data to all PGT / Tutor/progra / then annually / 35% by 2019: increase of
female of total PGT / was 32% compared to / programmes by gender / mme / %female on PSLP to 26% in
students / national proportion of / manager / 2017, 29% in 2018 and 32%
26%. On individual / 2019 (i.e. 9% increase on
programmes: EEE = / PSLP in 3 years)
37%; BBE = 56%; PSLP = / b. / Ensure a good gender & ethnicity / Marketing / July 2017 then
23%. / balance in all student marketing / and / review every / Publicity material shows
In 2015, 30% of our / and advertising material and / Recruitment / year / good gender balance, >40%
female PGTS were on / update material with information / team / female in images, and
PSLP so an increase of / from female alumni, particularly / updated profile from
9% from 23% to / on PSLP / female alumni by Sept 2017
35%female on PSLP
would mean a 3% / c. / Run a focus group with 5 female / Careers / Oct 2017 / Feedback from focus group
increase overall. / PGT students on PSLP to discuss / officer / in July 2017 feeds into
Cont. over page / what attracted them to course / activities in 2018
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Aim / Progress to Date / Actions / Who / When / Measure of Success
A2.3 cont. / Website was updated / d. / Continue to offer scholarship to / Director of / Sept 2017 then / Female student takes up
Increase our % / annually and / female PGT and advertise on / Marketing / annually / PGT scholarship in 2017 and
female of total PGT / scholarship offered / PSLP material / and / each year for PSLP course
students / Recruitment
e. / Review success of actions each / Actions updated following
year and amend if necessary / Champion / Annually / feedback
A2.4 / In the past 3 years, the / a. / Determine application and entry / Admissions / June 2017, / %female of total PGR total
Maintain our / %female of total PGR / baseline data by gender / Tutor / then annually / >40% in 2017/2018 intake
%female of total / was 40% compared to / and each year after
PGR students / national average of
33%. / b. / Ensure a good gender & ethnicity / Marketing / Jan 2017 and / Good gender balance in all
balance in all student marketing / and / review in Jan / material by Feb 2017 and
PhD open days held / and advertising material / recruitment / 2018 / thereafter
with >50% female / team
ambassadors
c. / Hold PhD open day with 50% / Faculty / Summer 2017 / Open day held in 2017 and
female ambassadors and / recruitment / every year / each year
numbers recorded / team
A2.5 / In the past 3 years, the / a. / UG careers survey (years 2 and / Careers / Feb 2017 / Home female intake PGRs
Increase the home / average intake of home / above) to find out reasons for / Officer/ / then annually / increased by 50% each year
female intake on our / female PGR students / choosing/not choosing academia: / Personal / from 4 to 6 females in 2017;
PGR programmes / was 4 per year where- / revise actions if particular issue / Tutors / 9 females in 2018 and 13
as the international / females in 2019
female intake was 11 / b. / Provide more information on / Careers / Sept 2017 then
per year / academic careers in / Officer / review in Jan / More information on
Applications from / undergraduate programme / 2018 / academic careers and new
international students / PGR / careers sessions held by
now may be on the / c. / Hold academic careers sessions / Tutor/OC or / Feb 2017 and / Sept 2018
decline / with female PGRs and UGs / PGR reps / annually
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3. Staff: capturing data, increasing female academic and research staff
Aim / Progress to Date / Actions / Who / When / Measure of SuccessA3.1 / There has been an / a. Determine number of applications / Department / When / %female of academics is
Increase %female of / increase in the past / and number of acceptances by / recruitment / positions are / 30% or greater by 2020 if
academic staff / 3 years from 18% to / gender to check for biases in / officers/ / posted from / new positions available
26% female / recruitment process; if biases found / Champion / now to 2020
compared to 27% / then obtain interview transcripts to
national average in / examine reasons
Chemical
Engineering in 2014; / b. Ensure all staff undertake / All staff / Training / 100% uptake rate of
there are currently / unconscious bias training (monitor / available / unconscious bias training
no plans to recruit / uptake) / through 2017
new academics in / and 2018
the next few years
In 2016, 50% of male
staff and 65% of
female staff had
undertaken UB
training
A3.2 / In the past 3 years, / a. State commitment to flexible / HR / When jobs are / %female applications to
Increase proportion / 24%of total / working opportunities, equality and / posted from / academic positions
of female / applications for / diversity, and include Athena SWAN / now to 2020 / increased to 30% of total by
applications to / academic positions / logo on all job adverts / 2020 if new positions
academic positions / were female / available
b. Targeted advertising in places / All line / When jobs
women look for jobs e.g. Women’s / managers / available from / Adverts placed
Cont. over page / Engineering Society / now
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Aim / Progress to Date / Actions / Who / When / Measure of Success
A3.2 cont. / In PRDA survey in / c. / Target talented PDRA females / All staff / From July 2017 / %female applications to
Increase proportion / 2016, 45% of our / through colleagues or discussion with / academic positions
of female / female PDRAs were / potential candidates at other / increased to 30%
applications to / undecided about / universities, events, conferences etc
academic positions / career path in / Report on reasons for PDRA
academia / d. / Determine reasons for PDRA staff not / Champion / July 2017 then / not choosing academia for
choosing academia (PDRA survey) / review actions / discussion at OC in August
for 2018 / 2017; introduce new
actions in 2018
Main reason for / e. / Monitor number of PDRA leavers (of
PDRAs leaving is end / the University) by gender and reason / Champion / August 2018 / Reason for leaving
of contract / for leaving from exit interview or / /HR / determined and actions
online leavers form and revise / revised
actions if necessary
A3.3 / In the past 3 years, / a. / Target talented PhD level females / All staff / When / %female of PDRAs is greater
Increase the / the average % / through colleagues or discussion with / positions are / than 30% by 2020
%female of PDRAs / female of total / potential candidates at other / posted from
PDRAs was 21%, but / universities, events, conferences etc / now to 2020
on the increase
b. / Monitor recruitment data to check / HR / June 2017 / %female at each stage
for biases: %female of total is not the / determined; actions revised
same at application to interview to / if necessary by end of 2017
success stage, then determine
reasons and revise actions
c. / Organise Engineering academic / PGR tutor / August 2018 / Careers day held in 2018
careers day for PGR students with / then annually
prominent female speakers
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Aim / Progress to Date / Actions / Who / When / Measure of SuccessA3.4 / In the past 3 years, / a. Determine reasons for female staff / Champion / June 2017 / % female of total successful
Increase success / the % female of / not being appointed to PDRA / at interview stage for PDRA
rate of PDRAs at / applications was / positions after interview process in / positions reflects %female
interview stage / 28% and success at / transcripts / of applications by end 2018
interview stage was
26% / b. Encourage interview training and / Line / Ongoing
monitor in SRDS / managers
A3.5 / In 2015, 2 female / Determine research staff contract type / HR / Dec 2017 and / Review of numbers of
Check for gender / researchers are / by gender and reasons why %female on / annually / females and males on open
bias in PDRA / open ended / open ended contract is not same as / ended or fixed term
contract type: open / whereas 8 males / %female on fixed term / contracts from Dec 2017
ended or fixed term / and new action if bias found
4. Key Career Transition Points: ensuring female success at all stages of academic career
Aim / Progress to date / Actions / Who / When / Measure of Success
A4.1 / In 2015, the focus / a. Introduce induction checklist and / PDRAs on / Feb 2017 / Induction booklet by March
Improve induction of / group reported that / printed department handbook for / OC/Champi / and review in / 2017
PDRAs into the / induction of PDRAs / PDRAs / on / Feb 2018
department / into the department
could be better: / b. Encourage PDRAs to be active in / PDRAs on / When new / Increased membership to
there is no induction / Faculty Engineering Researcher / OC / PDRAs start in / >75% determined by 2018
booklet / Society (ERS) / 2017 / PDRA survey
In PDRA survey, 52%
of PDRAs reported
ERS membership
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Aim / Progress to date / Actions / Who / When / Measure of Success
A4.2 / In 2016 GES, 66% of / a. / Encourage all staff to undertake SRDS / HoD/DAM / June 2017
Improve / male staff and 66% / training and monitor uptake / >75% staff understand
understanding of / of female staff / promotion and SRDS in GES
promotion and SRDS / reported / b. Raise awareness of promotion / OC / December / 2017; > 85% in 2018, and >
process / understanding / process in emails and at staff / champion / 2016 / 95% 2019
promotion process / meeting
c. / Increase information in department / HoD/DAM / June 2017 / Included links to training
handbook on SRDS / information by June 2017
d. / Celebrate success at Fab Friday and / HoD / Every month / Success celebrated each
by emails / from Dec 2016 / month
A4.3 / In REF2014, 17% of / a. / Discuss barriers to publication with / Probation / July 2017, then / Females reporting no
Ensure female / total staff included / mentors and SRDS and remove / mentors/ / annually / barriers to ability to publish
researchers are able / were female / Line / in SRDS
to produce quality / manager/
research / other
publications / mentors
b. / Ensure female researchers are / Line / Jan 2017 / All female researchers are
involved in REF discussions / managers/ / research away / included in REF2020
HoD/ / day and all
Director of / other research
research / meetings