Athena SWAN
Athena SWAN

Action Plan

Details of our Athena SWAN Action Plan.

Our Athena SWAN application includes an action plan to address the issues identified in the self-reflective analysis of data.

Objectives already achieved across the College include:

  • Re-establishment of the College Equality and Diversity committee – met November 2013
  • All interview panels to be at least 25% each gender for all academic posts potentially leading to a permanent position
  • Inclusion of a statement welcoming applications from women and under-represented groups in recruitment adverts
  • All decision-making committees to be at least 25% each gender, with members co-opted as appropriate, to establish a balance
  • Members of promotions panels will undergo Equality and Diversity training
  • Modification of Performance and Development Review forms to prompt discussions about promotion and flexible working
  • Future training in unconscious bias –none exists yet in the University
  • A well-attended and successful “INSPIRING WOMEN” conference was held on June 4th 2014, at which Dame Sally Davies was the keynote speaker.
  • Athena SWAN activities continue to be a standing item at School planning and resources meetings

Key objectives for the future include:

  • Train Principal Investigators in managing people
  • A task group to examine how we can support, retain and promote women in clinical academia
  • Introduction of workload models for non-clinical academics to improve transparency and fair distribution of workload
  • Embed mentoring
  • Hold a series of lunchtime fora to on topics such as family friendly policies, how to get promoted, managing maternity leave, mentoring, making the most of your appraisals, and to provide networking opportunities (details of upcoming events on our website and see below)
  • A follow-up survey in December 2014 to provide crucial data for our bid for a Silver award in November 2015

For our full Action Plan, and the progress we are making with this (last updated November 2015), see: