Liverpool Hope University is committed to supporting female leaders of the future - and has set-out clear new targets to help achieve that aim.
The long-term initiative is being spearheaded by Dr Penny Haughan, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost at Hope.
A new steering group - made up of both male and female members - has been set up to really drill down into University practice and to identify areas where big improvements can be made.
Dr Haughan explains: “Despite the fact that Liverpool Hope University is committed to supporting women to achieve senior leadership positions, we need to recognise that at present, whilst the majority of leadership roles in non-academic areas are held by women, the number of academic leadership roles held by women is relatively small.
“There are significantly fewer female professors than male professors, so the pool of women who are most likely to be promoted to leadership positions is too small to make an impact.
“And through the work of the steering group, we hope to see this change as we usher-in a new generation of female leaders.”
Dr Haughan points out that the Liverpool Hope University Equality and Diversity Plan (2020-24) acknowledges this issue and includes an Objective to ‘Challenge gender equalities across the University’.
She adds: “The University has, therefore, already committed to finding ways to close the gap between numbers of male and female colleagues in academic leadership positions.”
Meanwhile the new steering group will analyse some key aspects of Hope professional life - with the first action being to review all University data relating to gender balance, particularly that related to higher academic grades and leadership positions.
The group will investigate good practice in other institutions where gender disparities in leadership roles have been narrowed or overcome completely.
There will also be a renewed focus on finding ways to increase the proportion of women in senior academic leadership roles, to boost the proportion of women applying for academic promotion, and to reduce or remove barriers to women moving through their academic career trajectories at Hope.
The project will also see the University apply for what’s known as an ‘Athena Swan’ award, which is granted by the respected, sector-owned charity ‘Advance HE’.
The award recognises an organisation’s commitment to, and progress on, gender equality.
And the award itself also forms part of Advance HE’s ‘Athena Swan Charter’ - an international framework used ‘to support and transform gender equality within higher education (HE) and research’.
The charity adds: “Established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment, the Charter is now being used across the globe to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women.”
Dr Haughan states: “In considering the required processes and information for an Athena Swan application, it has become clear that to approach this project with any chance of success, the University needs to address one particular barrier - that there are twice as many men as women in academic leadership roles.”
Further details of the outcomes from the steering group will be reported in the coming weeks and months.
Below you’ll find a full breakdown of the Athena Swan Charter’s key principles:
The Athena Swan Charter process is based on ten key principles. By being part of Athena Swan, institutions are committing to a progressive Charter; adopting these principles within their policies, practices, action plans and culture.
1. We acknowledge that academia cannot reach its full potential unless it can benefit from the talents of all.
2. We commit to advancing gender equality in academia, in particular addressing the loss of women across the career pipeline and the absence of women from senior academic, professional and support roles
3. We commit to addressing unequal gender representation across academic disciplines and professional and support functions. In this we recognise disciplinary differences including:
** The relative underrepresentation of women in senior roles in arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law (AHSSBL)
** The particularly high loss rate of women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM)
4. We commit to tackling the gender pay gap.
5. We commit to removing the obstacles faced by women, in particular, at major points of career development and progression including the transition from PhD into a sustainable academic career.
6. We commit to addressing the negative consequences of using short-term contracts for the retention and progression of staff in academia, particularly women.
7. We commit to tackling the discriminatory treatment often experienced by trans people.
8. We acknowledge that advancing gender equality demands commitment and action from all levels of the organisation and in particular active leadership from those in senior roles.
9. We commit to making and mainstreaming sustainable structural and cultural changes to advance gender equality, recognising that initiatives and actions that support individuals alone will not sufficiently advance equality.
10. All individuals have identities shaped by several different factors. We commit to considering the intersection of gender and other factors wherever possible.