University of Limerick Athena SWAN
Bronze Institution Award Application
Name of institution: University of Limerick
Date of application: 30 April 2015
Contact for application: Marie Connolly, HR Manager Organisation Change, Athena SWAN co-ordinator
Email:
Telephone: +353 86 6074538
Contents
1. Letter of endorsement from the head of the institution 1
2. The self-assessment process 3
2.1 University of Limerick Athena SWAN Steering Committee 3
2.2 Details of the self-assessment process 5
2.3 Future plans 6
3. University of Limerick 7
3.1 Brief description of the institution 7
(i) Information on teaching and research focus 8
(ii) Student numbers 9
(iii) Staff numbers 12
(iv) Total number of departments 12
(v) STEMM departments 15
3.2 Staff data 17
(i) Proportion of all categories of academic staff by gender 17
(ii) Leavers by grade and gender 23
(iii) Staff on fixed-term, open-ended, zero-hour and permanent contracts 24
(iv) Evidence from equal pay audits/reviews 24
4. Supporting and advancing women’s careers 25
4.1 Key career transition points 25
(i) Recruitment 25
(ii) Induction 30
(iii) Personal development review 30
(iv) Promotion 31
(v) Selection committees 35
4.2 Career development 36
(i) Support to post-doctoral researchers for academic career progression 36
(ii) Training 36
4.3 Flexible working and managing career breaks 39
(i) Cover and support for maternity and adoption leave 39
(ii) Maternity return rate 40
(iii) Paternity, adoption and parental leave uptake 40
(iv) Flexible working 41
4.4 Organisation and culture 42
(i) Proportion of heads of school/faculty/department by gender 42
(ii) Gender balance at senior management 43
(iii) Representation of men and women on committees 44
(iv) Workload allocation 46
(v) Timing of meetings and social gatherings 47
(vi) Visibility of women as role models 47
(vii) Childcare 47
(viii) Outreach activities 47
(ix) HR policies 51
5. Any other comments 52
6. University of Limerick Athena SWAN action plan 54
Glossary of terms
A & R / Academic and research (staff)ADAA / Assistant Dean Academic Affairs
ADR / Assistant Dean Research
AHSS / (Faculty of) Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
AS / Athena SWAN
ASSC / Athena SWAN Steering Committee
BUS / (Faculty of) Business (Kemmy Business School)
CIDs / Contracts of indefinite duration
CTL / Centre of Teaching & Learning
EC / Executive Committee
EHS / (Faculty of) Education & Health Sciences
EPI-STEM / National Centre for STEM Education
EU / European Union
F / Female
FESTA / Female Empowerment in Science & Technology Academia
FTE / Full-time equivalent
GA / Governing Authority
GEMS / Graduate Entry Medical School
GP / General practitioner
H / Higher-level
HEA / Higher Education Authority
HoD / Head of department
HR / Human Resources
HRS4R / HR Strategy for Researchers
INF / Interfaculty programmes
IUA / Irish University Association
KBS / Kemmy Business School
LAB / Lecturer above the Bar
LBB / Lecturer below the Bar
LEAD / Living Equality & Diversity
M / Male
NUIG / National University of Ireland, Galway
PDRS / Performance and Development Review System
PESS / (Department of) Physical Education and Sport Sciences
PG / Postgraduate
PGR / Postgraduate research
PGT / Postgraduate taught
PhD / Doctor of Philosophy
PI / Principal Investigator
S&E / (Faculty of) Science & Engineering
SAT / Self-assessment team
SL / Senior lecturer
STEM / Science, technology, engineering and maths
STEMM / Science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine
UG / Undergraduate
UL / University of Limerick
UPB / University Promotions Board
VPAR / Vice President Academic and Registrar
VPR / Vice President Research
WAP / Workload allocation policy
WIP / Work in progress
i | Page
1. Letter of endorsement from the head of the institution
Ms. Sarah Dickinson
Senior Policy Advisor
Athena SWAN Charter
Equality Challenge Unit
Queen’s House
55-56 Lincoln’s Inn Fields
London WC2A 3LJ
15 April 2015
Dear Ms. Dickinson,
I am delighted to submit the University of Limerick’s Athena SWAN (AS) application for an Institution Bronze Award. I am personally committed to the AS process and recognise fully that it is in UL’s strategic interests to ensure that our people are offered equality of opportunity to achieve their absolute full potential. Our new strategic plan (2015–2019), due for publication in September 2015, explicitly commits the institution to the AS process. I acknowledge that implementing the University’s strategies will depend to a great degree on the ability of all members of UL’s community to realise their aspirations.
The AS steering committee, which I personally chair, brings together all levels of academic and research staff, members of the executive team and student representatives. We also have two AS self-assessment teams with wide representation from the Faculties of Science & Engineering and Education & Health Sciences. All committees were involved in compiling the AS application.
In 2007, UL set targets for female representation, which, I am pleased to report, have been exceeded. At 31% (national average 19%), we now have the highest representation of women at professorial level. Other targets exceeded include women at senior lecturer level (39%, national average 35%) and at lecturer level (53%, national average 50%). However, the number of females at associate professor level concerns me; while we have achieved some growth (from 6% to 19%), I am disappointed that we remain below the Irish national average of 26%. In response, I am committed to focusing our efforts on associate professor and professorial levels in the coming years. The target of at least 30% gender representation on all selection and promotions boards, as set out in our AS action plan, also has my full commitment and support.
Personally, I see the Athena SWAN charter as providing us with a framework through which gender equality can be measured and improved upon at UL. We are very aware of the challenges facing female university employees, such as unconscious or, regrettably, sometimes even conscious bias. We are committed to having the checks and balances in place to help ensure that recruitment and promotion decisions are based on merit alone.
In conjunction with the results of a recent staff survey that identified issues specific to female staff, the AS Award would ensure that UL has in place an effective institutional strategy for staff, including the development of progressive policies, procedures and initiatives. Our institutional strategies should lead to higher numbers of female students in STEMM disciplines, higher levels of female applicants for positions and promotions, enhanced job satisfaction and a better work environment.
The UL submission includes many challenging actions that focus on creating a culture that is conducive to gender equality. I do not underestimate this challenge. However, I am personally committed to driving the Athena SWAN agenda and ensuring that the required resources are made available to deliver on the commitments set out in our action plan.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Don Barry
President
University of Limerick
Words: 493/500
2. The self-assessment process
2.1 University of Limerick Athena SWAN Steering Committee
UL is a proud founding member of the Athena SWAN National Steering Committee and was part of the delegation that secured Irish University Association (IUA) backing to secure Higher Education Authority (HEA) funding to support the extension of the Athena SWAN charter to Ireland. UL began its self-assessment process by establishing an Athena SWAN Steering Committee (ASSC), which is chaired by President Professor Don Barry.
When the ASSC was set up, UL already had established committee structures to advance equality and diversity, gender equality, equal opportunities, the career development of academics and researchers and mentoring. The ASSC includes key members from these existing committees, which will ensure that the work of the ASSC will complement, expand upon and, in some cases, replace some of the existing committees.
Figure 2.1: Structure of Athena SWAN in UL
Key: M = male; F = female; AS = Athena SWAN; ASSC = Athena Swan Steering Committee; SAT = self-assessment team; S&E = Faculty of Science & Engineering; EHS = Faculty of Education & Health Sciences; WIP = work in progress
The ASSC reports through the President to the Executive Committee and to the Governing Authority.
Table 2.1 ASSC membership
The ASSC work-life balance summaryUL’s ASSC brings together a broad range of experience and expertise in teaching, research and management from across STEMM departments, the UL Executive Committee and relevant support functions. ASSC members were invited by the President to sit on the committee. The ASSC includes members with up to 30 years’ experience in higher education. Two senior members of the committee joined UL from overseas in the past two years and so have first-hand experience of the university’s induction process. Of the 17 committee members (7 males and 10 females), three have children under the age of 10 and one has recently returned from maternity leave.Four members have adult children, some of whom are attending university, and two care for elderly parents.Six members have first-hand experience of the promotion process. One member works part-time (0.5), and four members previously worked in a job-sharing/part-time capacity. Two members have availed of sabbaticals and six members have studied part-time while working full-time.
Name / Unit / Role
Prof. Don Barry (chair) / President’s Office / President, University of Limerick
Dr. Mary Shire / Research Office / Vice President Research;
Executive Committee member
Prof. Edmond Magner / Faculty of Science & Engineering / Dean Science & Engineering;
Executive Committee member
Prof. Alison Perry / Faculty of Education & Health Sciences / Dean Education & Health Sciences;
Executive Committee member
Prof. Colum Dunne / Graduate Entry Medical School / Director and Chair of Research, Graduate Entry Medical School
Prof. Sibel Erduran / Education & Professional Studies Department / Professor/Chair of EPI-STEM
Prof. Orla Muldoon / Psychology Department / Professor, Psychology
Prof. Seán Arkins / Life Sciences Department / Professor, Life Sciences
Prof. Ursel Bangert / Physics Department / Bernal Chair of Microscopy and Imaging
Mr. Tommy Foy / Human Resources Division / Director, Human Resources;
Executive Committee member
Ms. Marie Connolly / Human Resources Division / HR Manager, Organisation Change;
Athena SWAN Co-ordinator
Dr. Ita Richardson / Faculty of Science & Engineering / Senior Lecturer, Department of Computer Science & Information Systems; Lero – Irish Software Engineering Research Centre; Athena SWAN Champion, S&E
Dr. Alan Hegarty / Maths & Statistics Department / Head of Department;
Senior Lecturer
Dr. Sara Hayes / Clinical Therapies Department / Post-doctoral researcher
Ms. Louise Kiernan / Design & Manufacturing Technology Department / Lecturer below the Bar
Mr. Kevin Hayes / Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences / PhD student – Postgraduate representative
Dr. Fathima Laffir / Materials and Surface Science Institute / Post-doctoral researcher;
postgraduate representative part-time
Because members of the ASSC felt it was important to build a strong foundation of self-assessment at the earliest stage, AS self-assessment teams were established in the university’s two STEMM faculties: Science & Engineering (S&E) and Education & Health Sciences (EHS). In total, 48 members of academic, research, technical and support staff are currently members of AS committees. The teams aim to achieve a number of department charter accreditations within the next three years. To ensure continuity and the transfer of knowledge, skills and expertise, some members of the ASSC are also members of the faculty self-assessment teams (SATs). Committee members are allocated time from core hours to carry out AS work. All STEMM departments are committed to UL’s gender equality ambitions and are active members of the ASSC and the two SATs.
2.2 Details of the self-assessment process
Since October 2014, the ASSC has met every two to three weeks during the term and within core hours. The President reports regularly on progress to the Executive Committee and Governing Authority. The ASSC currently includes five members of the nine-member Executive Committee.
Prior to commencing the self-assessment process, the ASSC undertook training on the charter from the Equality Challenge Unit. Two members of the ASSC observed Athena SWAN panel assessments.
The faculty SATs have ensured that the self-assessment process has been highly consultative, and the ASSC sought advice and information from other individuals with regard to data and statistics. A share portal was established to provide AS committee members with access to items such as meeting minutes, documentation and presentations.
The ASSC and SATs have focused on compiling and analysing data, identifying barriers to women’s involvement in STEMM and agreeing specific, measureable and achievable actions to implement improvements. A sub-group was set up to take responsibility for extracting, collating and analysing statistics, reviewing policies and procedures and developing and overseeing the implementation of an action plan.
Athena SWAN in UL was formally launched by President Don Barry on 6 March 2015. The launch attracted 197 participants (37 male and 160 female) from across the institution and from other higher education institutions in Ireland and the wider business community.
Engaging with senior management teams
The Executive Committee was initially briefed on the charter in 2013 by Professor Paul Walton (York University). Professor Walton revisited UL in 2014 to discuss his department’s efforts to achieve a Gold Department Award.
In April 2015, the HR Director made a presentation to UL’s Management Council on charter principles and our ambitions to work towards gender equality. This was supplemented with additional charter presentations to the SATs.
An Athena SWAN website (http://www.ul.ie/hr/athena-swan) has been established. The website, which can be accessed from links on each of the two STEMM faculty websites, includes:
· Links to the Athena SWAN charter website
· Updates on the self-assessment process
· Conference presentations and related gender information
· Information to other UL equality and gender groups
We will expand the website to:
· Engage further with staff and students and undertake focus groups (Action 2.8).
· Publicise changes and successes (Actions 2.5 and 2.6).
· Profile positive female role models at all stages of their study and careers (Actions 4.37 and 4.38).
Engaging with the charter expansion in Ireland
ASSC members attended the official launch of the charter in Ireland (February 2015). Members of the University of Ulster and Queens University Belfast, Athena SWAN Steering Committees visited UL in January and March 2015 to share their experiences.