Public Sector Equality Duty – Mainstreaming Report

April 2015

1. Introduction and report structure

The University of Glasgow is delighted to provide a mainstreaming report on our progress through the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) since its implementation in 2013. The report is structured in the following way:

  • To provide an overview of the University’s strategic architecture.
  • The external influences which have impacted on the direction of the equality agenda.
  • Mainstreaming examples – these are highlighted as structural examples, and then under the relevant title of the General Equality Duty components.
  • An update on progress in relation to the equality outcomes.
  • The staff equality monitoring data.
  • Equal pay information.

2. University’s strategic architecture

The University is currently consulting on its next strategic plan, and the key strategies underpinning this are likely to be revised to reflect the new visions and aims. The information below is based on the previous strategic plan as this informed the PSED developments in 2013.

2.1 In 2010, the University developed its strategy Glasgow 2020: A Global Vision to support its vision to enhance its position as one of the world’s great, broad based, research intensive universities. This core strategy is underpinned by four main strategic areas of Learning and Teaching, Research and Internationalisation and People and Organisational Development. The University’s core values are integrity, credibility, openness and success.

Glasgow 2020: A Global Vision defines our value of openness as

Our inclusiveness embraces diversity by valuing and respecting the perspectives and contributions of all our colleagues and students.

This value places equality at the heart of the University, which is reflected in the four strategic areas underpinning our overarching vision and mission.

Within this strategy the University identified the following equality Key Performance Indicator (KPI):

We will strive to ensure that the diversity of our staff population is in line with the local working population and that minority groups are fairly represented at senior levels. In particular we will work to increase the percentage of staff who are female in professorial and level 10 roles towards equal representation.[1]

The lack of women in senior roles, and specifically the Professoriate is an issue that the University is keen to address, and in considering our equality outcomes, it was imperative this KPI was reflected.

2.2 The University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy was developed in 2011, and has a set of guiding principles, with equality embedded within these. Two of the principles specifically address equality issues:

Inclusion, access and opportunity - Our student community will be a diverse group of individuals from a broad geographical and socio-economic base, who are recruited to the University on the basis of ability and potential to thrive in our learning environment and capitalise on the exceptional opportunities it affords them.

A Truly Supportive Environment - We will provide a truly supportive learning and teaching environment, for staff and students alike, free from discrimination, harassment and unfair treatment and that promotes ethical and social awareness.

The equality outcomes for students have been developed to address this, and aim to reflect and support this strategy.

2.3 The University’s Internationalisation strategy was developed in 2010, with the vision to grow our international reach and reputation. The strategy has six themes, the student and staff themes are outlined below.

Student Experience: To enhance the student experience at Glasgow by offering a culturally diverse learning environment that prepares students for global employment and citizenship and an experience built upon a wide range of world class support services, from point of enquiry to post graduation

Staff: To support effective engagement of staff with the goals of internationalisation and promote a culturally diverse community

There have been significant developments on each of these themes. The equality outcomes support the development of a culturally diverse community which is treated with dignity and respect.

2.4 The University’s Research Strategy is embedded within the Glasgow 2020 document and outlines our key action to deliver excellent research[2]which is underpinned by three core activities to

  • Developing research strengths and multidisciplinary activities
  • Growing our community of PhD students
  • Extending our knowledge exchange activity

To support this, the University has identified we need to

  • attract and retain internationally recognised academics
  • nurture the development of our talented early career researchers
  • cultivate the research leaders of the future
  • establish a rich research environment, and
  • foster and support a diverse research student population.

These requirements ensure that embedding equality and diversity is at the heart of the University’s research strategy ensuring we have a supportive and collaborative environment for researchers.

2.5 The People and Organisational Development (POD) Strategy[3] was developed in 2013 to provide the ‘people’ focus for the wider University Strategy. During consultation for this strategy development it was agreed equality would be mainstreamed in all the key components of the POD, rather than added as an additional element. This reflected the focus of mainstreaming set out in the PSED. The seven key strategic aims are:

  • Attract and retain high quality staff
  • Strategically align individual performance & development planning
  • Build leadership capacity and ensure capability development
  • Reward excellence through equitable & fair pay
  • Embed Internationalisation
  • Maximise staff engagement
  • Support cultural transformation

2.6 The Equality and Diversity Strategy[4] was developed in 2012, and reflects the main strategies of the University. Many elements relating to the equality outcomes and other elements of the Public Sector Equality Duty are embedded within this document. An updated version of this document is in Appendix A.

3. External Influences

The University has numerous external influences on its strategy and focus. A number of these have assisted with mainstreaming equality throughout the University’s functions and processes. Examples of these are outlined below.

3.1Enhancement-Led Institutional Review (ELIR) is the Quality Assurance Authority (QAA) review method for universities. The main focus of ELIR is to consider an institution's strategic approach to enhancement, placing a particular emphasis on the arrangements for improving the student learning experience. ELIR also examines the institution's ability to secure the academic standards of its awards.​ Set out in the handbook for institutions compiling their Reflective Analysis for the ELIR is the following:

ELIR will consider how effectively the institution manages the equality and diversity of its student population. This will include the arrangements for identifying and responding to student needs.[5]

The QAA conducted an ELIR in 2013-14 at the University. This process allowed the University to explain how we have embedded equality within our learning, teaching and student enhancement processes. The Reflective Analysis report highlights some of the main mainstreaming processes the University has used to support equality, these include:

  • The University strategy (see section 2) and structure – specifically the Equality Champions (see section 4.1.1).
  • The development of the Equality and Diversity strategy linking to the main University strategies (see section 2.6).
  • The Equality Impact Assessment process (see section 4.1.3).
  • The introduction of a new student records systems, allow students to manage their diversity data. This system has also allowed monitoring of student equality data at different levels than previously.
  • Development of new student policies, including Maternity, Maternity Support and Adoption and a Carer’s Policy.

3.2 The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) Outcome Agreement

Outcome Agreements were introduced by the Scottish Government in 2012, with the main purpose of ensuring improved outcomes, for Government funding, across a range of areas.Since their conception the Scottish Government has asked universities to embed equality throughout their outcome agreements. They have also requested universities outline their ambitions in relation to Athena SWAN (see section 4.3.3). For the current 2015/16, the SFC Outcome Agreement guidance outlines:

The key priorities for the three-year period (in relation to equality):

  • A more representative proportion of entrants from different protected characteristic groups and care leavers.

The SFC also outlined:

In addition to the key priorities outlined above, we would like universities to consider carefully the need for actions to address gender balance, both in total participation and in particular subjects and consider setting aspirations for improvement. This area is one that will receive additional attention in school and college education as a result of the recommendations of the Wood Commission on Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce. While those recommendations do not directly address the university sector, changes in the gender balance with vocational pathways in schools and college should be something that affects university participation in the medium term. Some universities already have clear aspiration in this area. Universities should consider the extent to which gender balance is an issue and reconsider their existing aspiration, or potentially create a new one, in the light of the increased focus on this area.[6]

Further to the key priorities the SFC outlined the following as part of their national measure:

When setting out aspirations, HEIs are asked to use SFC’s national measures which build on existing well-defined data sources. Where appropriate, we encourage institutions to supplement these with their own measures (for example, to provide supporting evidence of progress and outcomes in relation to access, equality and diversity).[7]

Including specifically:

Aim 5: A research base that is internationally competitive and improving its reputation and standing in the world.

Outcome: An increase in the number of institutions and departments securing Athena Swan awards.[8]

This guidance provides a framework of how a key funder is shaping and assisting with mainstreaming equality through the University’s key business functions.

As an example of the University’s response to this strategic driver, the most recent agreement covers the academic period 2014-15. The agreement states:

Equality and Diversity

35. The University compiles an annual student equality report. The report is discussed at the University’s Equality and Diversity Strategy Committee (chaired by the Principal). EDSC and Court’s HR Committee monitors action plans to address any noted inequalities. The last report shows that:

  • The proportion of female undergraduates (65%) is above the Russell Group median;
  • Females are underrepresented in engineering and males are underrepresented in Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Education;
  • BME students are less likely to get first class degrees;
  • The proportion of BME students at the University is below the Russell Group median but is on the median of Scottish institutions.

36. We hold an Athena Swan Institutional Bronze Award and have submitted three applications for Departmental Bronze Awards in the November 2013 round. The School of Physics has the Institute of Physics JUNO Champion Status (equivalent to Athena Swan Silver). It is expected that a further five STEM Schools will apply for Departmental Athena Swan Bronze in April 2014 and one Social Science School is applying for an Equality Challenge Unit Gender Equality Charter Mark in its 2013-14 pilot.[9]

3.3Research Funding and Equality and Diversity

3.3.1 Equality and Diversity is increasing in prominence for research funders and research excellence assessments. Research Councils UK (RCUK), the strategic partnership of the UK's seven Research Councils, issued its Statement of Expectations for Equality and Diversity (‘the Statement’) in January 2013.

The Statement was developed to assess whether policies in place to address equality and diversity issues are working in practice, embedded at all levels in institutions, and take account of the whole spectrum of equality and diversity issues. RCUK reviews the overall effectiveness of organisations’ approaches at a departmental and institutional level through its Audit and Assurance Programme.

Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council has included mainstreaming equality as a requirement for outcome agreements with the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (SFC) (see section 3.2).

Equality and diversity was embedded in the staff selection process for the University’s submission to the Research Excellence Framework 2014, the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The University’s Code of Practice for ensuring that fair and transparent processes were used in the selection of staff for the REF2014 was approved by the Equality and Diversity Advisory Panel in August 2012.

3.3.2 Increasingly, research funding councils and bodies are introducing requirements on funding holders aligned to specific protected characteristics, particularly gender. Within the UK, these requirements have been devised according to participation and success in the Athena SWAN Charter for Women in Science (see section 4.3.3). An overview of the alignment of funding with Athena SWAN Award expectations is outlined in Table 1.

Table 1

Funding Body / Funding Streams / Athena SWAN Requirement
National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) / Biomedical Research Centres;
Biomedical Research Units;
Patient Safety Translational Research Centres. / Silver Departmental Athena SWAN Award
Research Councils UK (RCUK) / All funding streams within the 7 Research Councils / Evidence from HEIs for meeting expectations includes Athena SWAN Awards.
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) / (i) Top 30 funded Departments;
(ii) 8 Strategically Funded Institutes / (i) Participation in Athena SWAN
(ii) Athena SWAN Bronze Award

The growing focus on Athena SWAN participation and success contributes to the University’s strategic approach to embedding gender equality within its policies and practices, particularly those relating to career development and research.

4. Mainstreaming examples

This is not an exhaustive list of mainstreaming at the University; but rather it provides specific examples of activity which show how equality has been mainstreamed. These have been provided as structural examples and examples relating to the three elements of the Equality Act 2010 General Duty.

4.1 Structural examples

4.1.1 The equality structure at the University ensures the responsibility for equality matters lies with the Senior Management Group (SMG). This is structured through Equality Champions where members of the SMG take responsibility for one or more protected characteristic, and the University’s Principal acts as overall Equality Champion. The details of the Equality Champions are available here -

The Equality and Diversity Strategy Committee (EDSC) manages all equality strategy and legal requirements for the University. EDSC reports to the University’s HR Committee for staffing matters and the Education Policy and Strategy Committee/Student Support and Development Committee for student matters. The Principal will take matters directly to SMG if required.

Each of the Equality Champions acts as a direct conduit for student and staff issues, and some host an equality group from that protected characteristic. This equality group has representation from staff, students, and relevant University Services, Colleges, academic staff and those from appropriate job families. The Student Representative Council sit on all equality groups.

The diagram in Appendix B outlines the structure.

4.1.2 All Court and Senate Committees require papers to be provided in a particular format. This now includes a section on the equality implications of the paper, this ensures the Committee is aware of:

  • any positive or negative impacts on a protected characteristic group;
  • any links to other equality and diversity policy or initiatives;
  • if the paper has been initiated by an equality initiative.

4.1.3 The University developed an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) Policy and Guidance in 2008, which was amended in light of the legislation change in the 2010. The University continues to conduct EIAs on revised or new policies or processes. To support this, training was provided in 2014 on how to conduct EIAs, and understanding the policy and guidance. The training was targeted at administrators in Schools, Research Institutes and Services, and was attended by approximately 40 staff.

4.1.4 Equality is an integral part of the University’s management training programmes, including a specific requirement to complete both online training programmes (see section 4.2.1) for the First Line Management and Team Leading programmes. The Principal Investigators programme includes case study examples which relate to equality and managing diversity in teams. In addition, the Executive Coaching procurement process was weighted to ensure the provider selected had experience of coaching a diverse group of staff, given the international nature of the University’s staff at this level.

4.2 General Duty - Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act

4.2.1 Equality and Diversity training is available for all staff via an online training course. Two courses are provided, Equality and Diversity Essentials and Managing Diversity. The University decided to move to an online module to ensure all staff had the time and ability to access training. Staff without access to a computer are provided with an alternative face to face course. The online training is mandatory for staff:

  • who sit on a recruitment or selection panel;
  • involved in the selection process for the Research Excellence Framework 2014[10];
  • to complete management training with the Staff Development Service;
  • who are newly recruited, as part of the Employee Induction process.

The Equality and Diversity essential training covers:

  • Understand what equality and diversity are and why they are important.
  • Review the key legislation and its implications.
  • Examine ways to break down barriers to equality and diversity – prejudice, preconceptions and stereotypes.
  • Explore key tips and guidelines for promoting equality and diversity.

The University encourages all staff to complete the training. As of February 2015, 49% of University staff have completed the training.