Equality and Diversity and the Athena SWAN charter

The School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences has a historically strong female representation in Geography and most notably human geography where female students are in the majority, but has a weaker proportion of female staff.

Over the past years, we have developed its Equality and Diversity (E&D) agenda and this is now solidly embedded throughout all levels and activities. In April 2014, the School successfully achieved an Athena Swan Bronze Award. This demonstrates the School's self-assessment of barriers to female scientists' representation, career progression and all staff's work-life balance, in addition to a workable action plan for change.

The Athena SWAN Charter was established by the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) in 2005 to encourage and reward Higher Education institutions in their support of the presence and progression of women in the STEMM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Medicine). Besides extending into the AHSSBL fields (arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law), Athena Swan now also recognises efforts regarding HE professional and support roles. Beyond tackling barriers to women’s academic progression, the Athena charter presently covers broader issues of gender equality and of a fair working environment for all.

Our Athena Swan/Equality & Diversity committee is now striving to show the successful impact of our Bronze action plan. The Bronze award and action plan are part of a wider network of E&D and Athena Swan initiatives across the University of Birmingham, aimed at promoting equality and diversity, work-life balance and the careers of women in HE.

Events

Equality and Social Justice in a Changing World: Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences approaches

20 February 2018 - 10:00-17:00

The School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences will be marking the UN’s World Day of Social Justice on 20 February 2018 with a day of events, talks, social activities, films, debate and listening exercises, and an international shared lunch as part of our School’s commitment to equality and diversity.

Download the event poster here

Symposium: 'Embodying Geographies: research intensive diversity work' - 9 October 2017

The School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences held a one-day E&D Symposium in October to discuss why diversity in science matters, and how fairness and equality can be promoted through the academic workplace.

Visit the Embodied Geographies website here

The School E&D/Athena SWAN Committee:

Athena Swan and E&D Leads: Sara Fregonese, Jessica Pykett
Academic staff: William Bloss (Head of School), Irina Kuznetsova, Iseult Lynch, Francis Pope, Eugenia Valsami-Jones, James Wheeley
Research support and professional services staff: Lesley Boyle, Thomas Carney, Aruna Mistry, Tom Mandall,
Postdoctoral representatives: Emma Ferranti, Anastasios Papadiamantis,
Doctoral representatives: Shivani Singh
E&D Student ambassadors: a number of GEES students have been receiving E&D training via UoB’s Student Hub and, as of 2017, have a standing agenda item in E&D Committee meetings.

E&D committee Terms of Reference

Download the Equality Diversity and Athena SWAN committee terms of reference here (PDF)

“Our Equality and Diversity committee considers ways to improve practices and procedures to ensure fairness for all students and staff, and works to raise awareness of equality and diversity. The Athena Swann process provides an external benchmark against which we can measure - and challenge - our progress. Working towards Athena Swann Silver standard requires recognition of how specific groups of people are under-represented across our different subject areas, raising awareness of the value of diversity to our knowledge and understanding as well as to our working lives and institutional goals, and taking strong action to ensure equality both in our School policies and working culture. Our recent emphasis has focused on taking action to provide a working environment that recognises and accommodates the many different commitments and responsibilities that our staff have beyond work."

Professor William Bloss, Head of School

Therefore, in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences we established the following practices:

The Athena Swan/E&D Lead sits in the School Executive Committee, reporting on E&D matters as a standing agenda item
A School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Athena SWAN/Equality and Diversity champion and a student welfare and gender equality representative have been instituted and embedded in the wider UoB’s E&D / Athena Swan agenda
All school committees are assessed for gender balance
All job adverts contain an equal opportunities statement, welcoming applications from female and BME staff and all those seeking flexible working arrangements
Online diversity training is now a compulsory requirement for members of interview panels in staff recruitment
Student handbooks and staff induction materials include dedicated sections and statements on Athena SWAN commitments and roles
Students are encouraged to get involved as E&D champions and sit on Staff-Student Consultation Committee. A role description for the Student E&D champions is in place and direct communication between the Student E&D champions and the School’s E&D committee has been established.
Caring commitments and part-time work are accommodated in the new block teaching timetable, and school activities (seminars, away days…) are held within core business areas to broaden participation from speakers and staff
Maternity leave workload remission policies are in place
PERCAT career development training for early-career and post-doctoral staff
School Seminars take place within core business hours ensuring that speakers and audience members with caring commitments can participate

As part of a wider network of E&D initiatives across campus, our school implements the following university-wide policies:

Harassment and Bullying Policy: support for addressing unwanted behaviour
Central induction: all new staff are invited to attend the central induction at People and Organisational Development (POD)
Flexibility and Family-Friendly Working: Flexible Working Guidelines, University nurseries and childcare voucher schemes, Buying Additional Leave Scheme and Career Break Scheme
Becoming a Parent: Maternity, Paternity, Adoption and Shared Parental Leave,KIT days
Managing Pregnancy, Maternity & Adoption Leave for Academic staff: specific guidance for academics, including remission from duties on return from maternity leave
PDR Scheme: appraisal schemes for academic and Professional Services staff
Fixed-term contracts: information for employees and managers
Promotions: timetable and applicant information
Academic staff training and development brochure: full list of available courses
Unconscious bias training: increasing your understanding of the impact of unconscious bias
Coaching and mentoring: coaching and mentoring, including the Coaching Academy
Leadership Development: promotions workshops and emerging leaders programme
Aurora Leadership Programme: bespoke development programme for early career female academics

A family-friendly campus: Layla at the GEES Open Day and Bella posing with ‘Old Joe’ clock tower

Equality and Diversity and the Athena SWAN charter

Events

The School E&D/Athena SWAN Committee:

E&D committee Terms of Reference

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