Athena SWAN: Improving gender diversity in STEMM
Gender Summit 10, Tokyo, May 2017
Sarah Dickinson Hyams
Head of Equality Charters, Equality Challenge UnitHistory of the Charter,and recent changes

Athena SWAN Charter= Recognition scheme of excellence inwomen’s employment in STEMM= 2005: 10 members= 2017: 143 members

STEMM = Science, Technology,Engineering, Maths, Medicine

Athena SWAN: post-May 2015
= Recognition scheme of commitment togender equality across institutions= Expanded to take in AHSSBL and PSS staff= Adapted from Athena SWAN and ECU’s gender equality
charter mark trial (GEM), based on consultation
STEMM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths, Medicine
AHSSBL = Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Business, Law

Athena SWAN: Principles= We acknowledge that academia cannot reach its full potential
unless it can benefit from the talents of all.
= We commit to advancing gender equality in academia, inparticular, addressing the loss of women across the career
pipeline and the absence of women from senior academic,
professional and support roles.
= We commit to addressing unequal gender representation across academic
disciplines and professional and support functions. In this we recognise
disciplinary differences including: the relative underrepresentation ofwomen in senior roles in arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law(AHSSBL) and the particularly high loss rate of women in science, technology,
engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM)= We commit to tackling the gender pay gap.
= We commit to removing the obstacles faced by women, in particular, atmajor points of career development and progression including the transition
from PhD into a sustainable academic career.

Athena SWAN: Principles= We commit to addressing the negative consequences of using
short-term contracts for the retention and progression of staff
in academia, particularly women.
= We commit to tackling the discriminatory treatment often
experienced by trans people.
= We acknowledge that advancing gender equality demands commitment andaction from all levels of the organisation and in particular active leadershipfrom those in senior roles.
= We commit to making and mainstreaming sustainable structural and culturalchanges to advance gender equality, recognising that initiatives and actions
that support individuals alone will not sufficiently advance equality.
= All individuals have identities shaped by several different factors. We commit
to considering the intersection of gender and other factors whereverpossible.

Athena SWAN: award levels
Bronzeself-assessment and analysis
identify issues and challenges
plan activities on a solid foundation

Silveradditional to Bronze
evidence of impact and achievementGoldsignificant record of activity and impact
beacons for gender equality and good practice7

Athena SWAN awards
688 award holders in total (as of May 2017):
Bronze81 Bronze universities
13 Bronze research institutes
378 Bronze departmentsSilver

13 Silver universities
3 Silver research institutes
172 Silver departments

Gold8 Gold departments
Uni criteria released in July 2015

325 applications in 2016
Success rate ≈ 67%Nov 2016 round:= 167 submissions= 114 awards= 68% success rate
 67% Pre-May 70% Post-May

Benefits and impact of Athena SWAN

How does it work?
= Athena SWAN framework requires you to:
1. Collect data (quantitative and qualitative)
2. Critically analyse data
3. Identify reasons for exclusion and under-representation
4. Develop a 4 year action plan to address these
5. Show progress over time

= individualised approach; not a box-ticking exercise

Data → Analysis → Action

How does it work?
= Athena SWAN provides a framework forcontinuous action= This is recognised through the conferringof awards that recognise steps on thejourney= It is necessary for the whole unit to pull
together to deliver sustainable change

Athena SWAN
Questions= Analyses requested in four main sections:= Key career transition points= Career development= Flexibility and managing career breaks= Organisation and culture5

Athena SWANProcess= Peer reviewed= Two submission rounds per year
= Applications grouped by subject area
= Five panellists: academics, E&D/HR, subject specialists(drawn from volunteers who are all trained)= Conflicts of interest accounted for= One chair, one moderator, one note taker= Applicants have right to appeal decision= ECU may put application to new panel if decision isinconsistent8

Why does it work?
= Set up by and for the academic andresearch community= Led and championed by senior academics:
buy-in from the top= Requires thorough self-assessment and reflection tounderstand individual data and challenges= Promotes staff consultation and engagement= Awards are only valid for 4 years

What is Athena SWAN all about?
= Commitment to removing barriers that
contribute to underrepresentation= Taking a targeted approach to issues that
may be of internal or external origin= Good practice and honesty≠ Hiring or promoting people because they
are underrepresented≠ Producing reports and winning awards≠ Planning to “suggest”≠ Operating a deficit model

The benefits of Athena SWAN
= Highlights areas to make positive changes= Provides a focal point for existing informal
good practices= Increases awareness of career progression issues= Encourages increased transparency= Demonstrates good working environment to job
applicants= Flexible to context

Benefits: Evaluation report (2014)= Evidence of sustainable change= Women – improved visibility, increased selfconfidence, enhanced leadership skills= All staff – positive differences in career
satisfaction, development opportunities= Administrative and technical staff report agreater sense of belonging“[Athena SWAN is] the most effective lever for change
I have come across in 12 years of equality work.”– Institutional championASSET

The benefits of Athena SWAN
= Equality work delivers benefits to research“We began a program of change in our practices
and culture to enhance our position as a worldleading, research-led Chemistry Department. The
Athena SWAN process has been immensely helpful
in this... Our increased collaborative working has
led to our Research Volume increasing from £8M in
2007-8 to £13M this year.”
Department of Chemistry,
Imperial College London

Recognition of impact= 2011 - NIHR funding and Athena SWAN silver= Biomedical Research Centres (≤£110M per centre)= Biomedical Research Units (≤£10M per unit)= Patient Safety Care Centres (≤£10M per centre)= 2012 - Welsh National Institute for Social Care and HealthResearch (NISCHR) funding and Athena SWAN silver= NISCHR Centres and Units= 2016 - HEA National Review of gender equality= HEIs should achieve an Athena SWAN award within 3 years= The HEA should establish Athena SWAN in Ireland on a permanently= Research-funding agencies should require HEIs to have attained abronze Athena SWAN award within 3 years and a silver award within
7 years in order to be eligible for fundingRecognition of impact= Royal Society of Edinburgh report= 3 of 6 key recommendations mention Athena SWAN

= SFC outcome agreements ask about AS activity“It is estimated that a doubling of women’s high-levelskill contribution to the economy would be worth asmuch as £170M/yr to Scotland’s national income.”= Nuffield Council on Bioethics report= Investigated culture of scientific research in UK= Recommends for all HEIs to commit to Athena SWAN

Efficacy in other jurisdictions

GENDER-NET: creating a framework= ECU was involved in a European Commission
FP7 funded project: GENDER-NET - aimed toaddress challenges facing research institutionsin achieving gender equality in research and innovation= 12 partners to the project, which was led by CNRS inFrance; 2 non-European partners in Canada and US= Part of the project explored Athena SWAN methodology& other schemes. Athena SWAN was the only scheme
to be assessed as both successful and transferable Next steps: GENDER-NET will draft a framework for atransnational award

Athena SWAN: Republic of Ireland= Cross-sector initiative, supported by theHigher Education Authority (HEA)= Committee established to advise and act
as conduit between ECU and HE sector= STEMM focused= Reviewed and tailored processes, delivered regionalworkshops= Since April 2015, five universities and six departments
have been successful in gaining Bronze awards

Athena SWAN: Australia= STEMM focused pilot includes 40 institutions:
universities, medical research institutes andpublicly-funded research agencies= Adapted to Australian culture and context e.g. inclusionof indigenous Australians= Pilot launched in Sept 2015, will run until Sept 2018
= ECU is supporting SAGE a programme in the AustralianAcademy of Sciences who is managing the pilot,including delivering regional training and workshops

What next?

Gold university awards= Launched in Summer 2015
= Majority of departments must hold
Silver awards, with at least 1 Gold= Recognises:= significant & sustained record of achievement= addressing challenges across the institution= promoting gender equality internally & externally= Addresses diversity in curriculum & pedagogy

Final thought…..good practice benefits
all“I know that some are unhappy with its focus –some are men worried about unfairness, andsome are women who sense they might become
victims of tokenism.

But most of the changes proposed by departments– such as holding key meetings during core hours,
or promoting flexible working – end up benefitting
both sexes, especially those who are parents andcaregivers, making the profession a little bit morefriendly.”
Dr Jenny Rohn, UCLThank youFurther information available

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Websitewww.ecu.ac.uk/equality-charter-marks/athenaswan/
Athena SWAN handbook
http://www.ecu.ac.uk/equalitycharters/athena-swan/athena-swan-resources/
Emailathenaswan@ecu.ac.uk