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At Anglia Ruskin University we are committed to gender equality, and have been awarded the Institutional Athena SWAN Bronze Award.
We have ambitions to achieve Faculty Bronze awards in all of our faculties over the next few years, and to further build on the success of our Institutional Bronze Award.
The Athena SWAN Charter
Recognising advancement of gender equality: representation, progression and success for all.
The Athena SWAN Charter was established by the ECU (Equality Challenge Unit) in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment in higher education and research.
In May 2015 the charter was expanded to recognise work undertaken in arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law (AHSSBL), and in professional and support roles, and for trans staff and students. The charter now recognises work undertaken to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women.
What are we doing?
We became members of Athena SWAN in December 2012 and were first awarded our Institutional Athena SWAN Bronze Award in April 2015. We were delighted to have this re-conferred in November 2018.
As a part of our commitment to the principles laid out by the Athena SWAN Charter we are exploring avenues to enhance our culture and to develop our policies and practices to further promote gender equality throughout our University. We are doing this in a number of ways, through our:
Appointment and selection processes
Promotions processes
Career development programmes and initiatives
Workplace flexibility
Career breaks
Return to work support
Staff support networks
Athena SWAN not only covers gender equality for staff, but also for students. At Anglia Ruskin University this is very important to us and we are dedicated to breaking down any existing barriers for our students, particularly in areas of underrepresentation of women in STEMM areas, as well as subsequent career progression of women into an academic career in these areas.
The Athena SWAN Charter is based on ten key principles. By being part of Athena SWAN, we are committing to a progressive charter; adopting these principles within our policies, practices, action plans and culture.
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, in particular, 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 of women in senior roles in arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law (AHSSBL)
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, at major points of career development and progression including the transition from PhD into a sustainable academic career
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 and action from all levels of the organisation and in particular active leadership from those in senior roles
We commit to making and mainstreaming sustainable structural and cultural changes 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 wherever possible
Our University Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team
The University Athena Swan Committee comprises representatives from our four faculties and at an institutional-level from our student, staff and academic services teams. The committee is responsible for the oversight of all Athena SWAN related activity and for ensuring that gender equality remains at the top of our University’s agenda.
Anika Bloomfield – Athena SWAN Coordinator, Human Resources Services
Dr Tim Brooks – Head of Research Excellence and Enhancement, Research, Innovation and Development Office
Rachael Cornwall – Head of Engagement and Development, Human Resources Services
Dr Liz Bradbury – Faculty of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences; Institutional and Faculty Athena SWAN Lead
Laura Douds – Students’ Union President
Dr Egle Dagilyte – Faculty of Business and Law, Faculty Athena SWAN Lead
Professor Jeffrey Grierson – Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care; Joint Faculty Athena SWAN Lead
Bettina Mills – Director of Strategic Planning and Performance
Toni Mawoyo – Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care; Race Equality Charter co-lead
Dr Claire Pike – Faculty of Science & Engineering; School of Engineering and The Built Environment Faculty Athena SWAN Lead
Dr Nicola Walshe – Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care; School of Education and Social Care Athena SWAN Lead
Dr Alan White – Director of the Doctoral School; Research, Innovation and Development Office
Contact us
If you would like further information about Athena SWAN at Anglia Ruskin University, please contact our Athena SWAN Coordinator, Anika Bloomfield ([email protected]).
We are always keen to improve on practices and processes, so if you have any comments or ideas we are keen to hear from you.
Institutional Bronze Award
Please contact us for a copy of our institutional Bronze renewal submission.
