Promoting gender balance | Letters | Times Higher Education Page 1 of 3

Promoting gender balance

20 February 2014 In just over two weeks’ time, many organisations, charities and individuals will be taking part in International Women’s Day, which this year takes as its theme “inspiring change”, encouraging “advocacy for women’s advancement everywhere and in every way”. We think now is a good time for the higher education sector to celebrate the progress that has been made in advancing gender equality, but also to ask what more can be done, and how. “We” are a group of staff at the University of who believe that more should be done to broaden how we judge and value success in UK higher education. Conventional success in academia, for example a promotion from reader to professor, can often seem as if it is framed by quite rigid outcomes – a paper published in a leading journal, or the size and frequency of research grants – at the expense of other skill sets and attributes. Those engaged in teaching, administration and public engagement, to name just three vital activities, can be pushed to the margins when specific, quantifiable outcomes take all. Of course, assessment and ranking play an important role in the responsible and regulated pursuit of academic excellence. But problems arise if certain criteria for success benefit men more than they do women. Our experience at Cambridge, where we recently surveyed 126 female academics and administrators on this subject, suggests that this is indeed the case. Women value a broader spectrum of work-based competencies that do not flourish easily under the current system. And a system that inhibits the progression of talented academics and administrators is one that limits universities’ ability to contribute positively to society. We acknowledge that Cambridge, like other institutions up and down the country, must do more in this regard, and we are committed to making progress in addressing our own gender imbalances. But how else can we improve? First, we would like to stimulate debate on these issues so that gender progression remains a priority at the highest levels within the sector. Second, we think there are opportunities to build into assessment processes – for example, academic promotions – additional factors that reward contribution from a much wider range of personality and achievement types. A broader definition of success within the sector will bring benefits not only to women – and indeed men – working in universities, but also to society as a whole.

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.aspx?storyCode=2011428 20/ 02/ 2014 Promoting gender balance | Letters | Times Higher Education Page 2 of 3 Jeremy Sanders, pro-vice-chancellor for institutional affairs, Dame Athene Donald, University of Cambridge gender equality champion , master, Fitzwilliam College Richard Prager, head, School of Technology Hannah Critchlow, department of pathology Kusam Leal, School of the Physical Sciences Madeleine Arnot, Faculty of Education Nicky Athanassopoulou, Institute for Manufacturing Shima Barakat, Cambridge Judge Business School Claire Barlow, department of engineering Catherine Barnard, Faculty of Law John Bell, Faculty of Law Dame Carol Black, principal, Newnham College Brendan Burchell, head, department of sociology Ann Cartwright, /Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute Joya Chatterji, Faculty of History Jane Clarke, department of chemistry Nicola S. Clayton, department of psychology Tim Crane, Knightbridge professor of philosophy Martin Daunton, head, School of the Humanities and Social Sciences and master, Trinity Hall Judith Driscoll, department of materials science and metallurgy Patricia Fara, senior tutor, Clare College Rachel Fogg, department of engineering Sarah Foreman, University of Cambridge estate management division Jennifer C. French, division of archaeology Laurie Friday, School of the Physical Sciences Jane Goodall, department of medicine Valerie Gibson, Fiona Gilbert, head, department of radiology Emma Gilby, department of French Liz Hide, University of Cambridge Museums Deborah Howard, department of history of art Ann Louise Kinmonth CBE, emeritus professor of general practice Judith Lieu, Faculty of Divinity Theresa M. Marteau, Behaviour and Health Research Unit Duncan Maskell, head, School of the Biological Sciences Jessie Monck, University of Cambridge Personal and Professional Development Rachel Oliver, department of materials science and metallurgy Andy Parker, head, Cavendish Laboratory Sharon Peacock, department of medicine Karina Prasad, head, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs Wendy Pullan, department of architecture Margaret S. Robinson, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research Ruchi Sinnatamby, School of Clinical Medicine Rebecca Simmons, Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit Alison Smith, department of plant sciences Annabel Smith, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research Koen Steemers, head, department of architecture Philippa Steele, Faculty of Classics Dame Barbara Stocking, president, Murray Edwards College Suzy Stoodley, department of plant sciences Abir Al-Tabbaa, department of engineering Liba Taub, director and curator, Whipple Museum of the History of Science Susie White, Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Emma Wilson, department of French Elizabeth Tilley, Faculty of English

The leading article “ STEM the inertia on inequality (URL=http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/comment/leader/stem-the-inertia-on- inequality/2011073.article) ” (6 February) highlighting concern about the progression of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects is clearly warranted. Addressing factors that diminish the number of women in leadership roles is vital. We note that the general gender imbalance in science is mirrored by a disparity in the opposite direction in many of the social sciences and humanities. In psychology, a STEM subject, the proportion of female undergraduates is 80 per cent, and this looks set to rise (see The Future of Undergraduate Psychology in the by Trapp et al, a 2011 paper for the Higher Education Academy). http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.aspx?storyCode=2011428 20/ 02/ 2014 Promoting gender balance | Letters | Times Higher Education Page 3 of 3 It is rare to hear of activities to encourage young men into fields in which they are under-represented. However, doing so provides a new perspective on the gender imbalance in STEM subjects. Although the total number of students is rising, the rate of increase is relatively slow. Hence the solution to the imbalance of women in STEM disciplines has to involve redistribution across disciplines. Encouraging men to take up subjects where they are under-represented may be just as important a tactic to address gender imbalance in STEM as encouraging women into STEM directly. Neil Cooper, senior lecturer in psychology Kenny R. Coventry, head, School of Psychology University of East Anglia

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http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.aspx?storyCode=2011428 20/ 02/ 2014