Bronze Award Form
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1 2 Athena SWAN Bronze university award renewal application Name of institution: University of Oxford Year: 2013 Contact for application: Adrienne Hopkins Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01865 289943 Date of previous award: 2010 List of SET departments (highlighting those that currently hold Bronze, Silver or Gold department awards): Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Department of Chemistry – Bronze award Department of Computer Science Department of Earth Sciences – Silver award Department of Engineering Science – Bronze award Department of Materials – Silver award Mathematical Institute – Bronze award Department of Physics – Bronze award Department of Plant Sciences – Silver award Department of Statistics Department of Zoology – Silver award Medical Sciences Clinical Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine – Bronze award Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences – Bronze award Radcliffe Department of Medicine o Department of Cardiovascular Medicine - Bronze award o Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences – applied November 2013 Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology – Bronze award Department of Oncology – applied November 2013 Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences – applied November 2013 Department of Paediatrics – Bronze award Nuffield Department of Population Health – applied November 2013 o National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit – Silver award Department of Primary Care Health Sciences – Bronze award 3 Department of Psychiatry – Bronze award Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences – Bronze award Pre-clinical Department of Biochemistry – Bronze award Department of Experimental Psychology – Bronze award Sir William Dunn School of Pathology – applied November 2013 Department of Pharmacology – applied November 2013 Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics – Bronze award Of our 28 eligible departments and units, 20 hold awards (five Silver, 15 Bronze), and six have submitted an application in November 2013. Total number of university departments: 50 Percentage of SET departments as a proportion of all university departments: 52% of departments, employing 48% of academic staff and 85% of researchers 4 Acronyms and glossary: ACF – Academic Clinical Fellow ACL – Academic Clinical Lecturer ASGAG – Athena SWAN and Gender Advisory Group Assessor - a senior university officer, responsible particularly for student welfare and finance Collegiate University - the University of Oxford, comprising the academic divisions and departments, Academic Services and University Collections (ASUC) and University Administration and Services (UAS), together with the Oxford colleges and permanent private halls. The colleges and PPHs are independent employers. CROS – Careers in Research Online Survey EDU – Equality & Diversity Unit IARU – International Alliance of Research Universities LERU – the League of European Research Universities MPLS – Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division MSD – Medical Sciences Division OLI – Oxford Learning Institute, responsible for staff development OUCAGS – Oxford University Clinical Academic Graduate School OUSU – Oxford University Student Union OWN – Oxford Women’s Network, a network open to all women at the University OxFEST – Oxford Females in Engineering, Science and Technology, a student-run society OxRSS – Oxford Research Staff Society PDR – personal development review PIRLS – Principal Investigators and Research Leaders Survey PPH – Permanent Private Hall, founded by different Christian denominations RGEF - Russell Group Equality Forum RoD – Recognition of Distinction, the University’s promotions exercise which awards the title of professor to eligible staff; such staff are referred to as titular professors SSD – Social Sciences Division Statutory professor – a defined post, filled by open recruitment Titular professor – a member of staff awarded the title of professor in recognition of the excellence of their research; the award of a title does not entail changes to the individual’s underlying post UCU – University and College Union UL – University Lecturer, the main academic grade at Oxford and equivalent to a Grade 10 Professor elsewhere 5 1. Letter of endorsement from a Vice-Chancellor – maximum 500 words An accompanying letter of endorsement from your Vice-Chancellor (or equivalent) should explain how SWAN plans and activities have and will in future contribute to the overall university strategy and academic mission. The letter is an opportunity for the Vice-Chancellor to confirm their support for the renewal application and to endorse and commend any activities which have made a significant contribution to the achievement of the university mission in relation to science, engineering and technology (SET). 2. The self-assessment process – maximum 1000 words Describe the Self-Assessment Process. This should include: a) a description of the self assessment team: members’ roles (both within the university and as part of the team) and their experiences of work-life balance, and how and why the team has changed since the original Bronze application; The University’s 2010 Athena SWAN submission was overseen by the Athena SWAN University Committee. In November 2012 it was merged with two other committees – the Gender Equality Scheme Steering Group, and the Gender Panel of Education Committee – to form the Athena SWAN and Gender Advisory Group (ASGAG). All aspects of gender equality work, in relation to both staff and students, now fall under the remit of a single body. Membership of the ASGAG evolves as staff members leave the University, change roles or step down from the committee, and as ex-officio post holders come to the end of their term of office. It is kept under constant review to ensure balanced representation of all stakeholder groups. Current membership of the ASGAG is shown in Table 1. All but one of the academic staff on the ASGAG, and a number of the other group members, have children and have built their careers whilst balancing the demands of childcare. Three members currently have caring responsibilities for elderly parents. Five members have worked part-time and/or taken career breaks, four to manage caring responsibilities. The majority of group members have experienced the challenges of managing a dual career household. Across the group there is considerable experience of all aspects of university administration, including recruitment at all levels. The group also has broad experience of balancing work and family life with a range of community, voluntary and social interests. 6 Table 1: membership of the ASGAG, November 2013 Name Role and Experience Dr Stephen Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Personnel & Equality) Goss (Chair) University Lecturer in Pathology Director of the Oxford Learning Institute Has previously served as Faculty Board Chair, Director of Preclinical School, Chair of various review bodies in the medical school, and Senior Proctor Professor Head of Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Mark Brouard Department of Chemistry Athena SWAN lead Member of Chemistry Management Board and MPLS Divisional Board Chair of Chemistry Consultative Committee Trudy Coe Head of Equality and Diversity Dr Bríd Cronin Athena SWAN Co-ordinator, MSD Julian Duxfield Director of HR Dr Peggy Frith Deputy Director of Clinical Studies, Medical School MSD Athena SWAN Strategy Group member Dr Laura Researcher Development Officer Hodsdon Dr Katie Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Jennings Genetics Co-ordinator of the postdoc NeuroNetwork Sarah Pine Vice President (Women), OUSU Adrienne Equality Advisor - Gender and Athena SWAN Hopkins (Secretary) Professor Statutory Chair of Microbiology Susan Lea Chair of Pathology Athena SWAN self-assessment team Dr Paul Lodge University Lecturer in Early Modern Philosophy Chair of Faculty of Philosophy Gender Charter Mark self- assessment team Rosie Senior Assistant Registrar Mortimer Athena SWAN lead, MSD Leigh Paton DPhil student, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics Chair of OxFEST Dr Penny Reader in Engineering Science Probert Smith University Assessor Dr Saira Divisional Secretary Shaikh Athena SWAN lead, MPLS Dr Catherine University Lecturer in Applied Linguistics Walter Vice Principal of Linacre College Professor Professor of Evolutionary Biology Stuart West Department of Zoology Athena SWAN Champion Alice Wilby Access and Outreach Officer, St Peter’s College 7 b) an account of the self assessment process, with reference to year-on-year activities since the original Bronze award application, details of the self assessment team meetings, including any consultation with staff or individuals outside of the university, how these have fed into the submission and been reported within the institution, and how the team has worked with departments to engage them in the Athena SWAN awards process; The Athena SWAN University Committee and subsequently the ASGAG is responsible for oversight of the institutional action plan and has met termly for the last seven years (see Appendix for full commentary on progress). A smaller working group held four additional meetings between May and November 2013 to give more detailed scrutiny to key issues in preparation of this application. Activity at department level has been driven by Divisional management teams, with central support. This has been the primary focus of our Athena SWAN work over the last three years, as the devolved structure of the University means that change can be achieved most effectively