What’s the Athena SWAN definition of SET/STEM?
- We use the definition set out in DTI Economics Paper 16
- This says that SET covers the fields of medicine, dentistry, subjects allied
to medicine (eg nursing and pharmacy), biological sciences, veterinary sciences,
agricultural sciences, physical sciences (eg physics and chemistry), environmental
sciences, mathematical and statistical sciences, computer sciences and ICT, engineering,
technology, architecture, and building and planning
- For more details go to the SET definition page of the website.
What is the renewal date for the early rounds of award holders? If we received
the award in March can we wait until May to renew it?
- Yes, due to the differences in the awards schedule now, it is fine for those
who received their awards in March 2007 to renew them or apply at a higher level
in May 2010.
Can we have an extension to the deadline for submission?
- No. The deadline is the same every year (31 May). You should have been preparing
your submission since at least the beginning of the year and factored in planned
absences.
- Judging panels are arranged in advance and the judges need enough time to read
and understand each of the submissions thoroughly in order to make their decision
and provide considered feedback.
How firm is the word count: we cannot explain all our activities within the limits?
- Many of the word counts have been increased for 2010.
- But, you must not exceed the word count, either in the body of the form or by
attaching annexes. The judges take a very dim view of lengthy submissions.
- It is not necessary to set out every gender-related policy, especially those
that are required by law and which every institution will be implementing.
- Focus on what you are doing that is innovative or different. Be concise! More
is not necessarily better!
Is it acceptable for institutions to give business reasons for not implementing
the Athena SWAN principles in practice?
- No. There are strong business reasons for implementing the Charter principles.
All members commit themselves to the principles when they join the Charter. An
institution which was not working on implementing the principles would be highly
unlikely to qualify for an award.
My institution has an unusual set-up: how do I ensure that the judges understand
this?
- Use the opening section to provide a concise picture of your institution, drawing
out any unusual features so that the judges understand the limitations on what
you can do.
- You can also use the section ‘any other information’ to highlight particular
differences between you and other institutions.
Should I send the submission in hard copy or electronically?
- Send the entire submission electronically.
- But send the covering letter of support signed by the Vice-Chancellor or Head
of Department in hard copy as well. This must be received by the SWAN team within
7 working days of the submission deadline (31 May).
- Do bear in mind that the submissions will be printed off in black and white and
sent to the judges. Tables and graphs should be in PDF format which is printable
on A4 paper without adjustment.
My university wants to apply for a university-wide Silver or Gold award. What
is a ‘significant proportion’ of departments holding silver or gold awards?
- There is no fixed definition as this will vary depending on the university.
But it is about quality as well as quantity. The application forms ask you to
list all the SET departments in the institution and indicate which hold SWAN awards.
You will need to demonstrate that, not only do the majority of SET departments
hold awards, but that this number includes some of the more challenging disciplines
too.
- If in doubt about your eligibility, seek advice from athenaswan@ecu.ac.uk.
At my institution the Self Assessment Team say that the tone of the draft submission
is too critical and negative. Do you think we will be judged harshly for this?
- It is unlikely that the judges will view this in a negative light. One of the
most important things they look for is honesty, and provided that an organisation
recognises its short-comings and then proposes action plans to address them, the
panel will view this kind of self-criticism quite favourably. In fact, they may
be suspicious of an overly rosy portrayal! But at Silver and Gold level you will
need to show that you have made some progress!
Should departmental submissions be coordinated by the Head of Department or a
senior member of staff?
- Not necessarily, but it can be easier to get support if the preparations are
led by a more senior staff member.
Do departmental Silver awards encourage other departments to apply?
- Yes. It’s good to have active links between departments to share good practice
and support each other. York University has an Athena SWAN Committee across different
SET departments, which supports departments where women are under-represented
and more isolated. At Imperial College successful departments from one year mentor
applicant departments the following year.
How can we engage people in the process?
- The Head of Department sets the tone. Engage people through staff meetings. Submit
the draft report to management meetings. Put the minutes of the self-assessment
team on the Intranet. Remember to sell the message to men as well as women.
Can we use examples of good practice from non-SET departments?
- No. The SWAN Charter and awards are about improving the representation of women
in SET.
Can someone proofread or check my application before I submit it formally?
- No. The SWAN Charter Coordinator and UKRC staff are involved in the judging
panels and it would be a conflict of interest for them to check applications.
Nor do they have the time to do so.
- But UKRC staff can provide guidance on the preparation of the applications and
on good practice.
- You should also look at the factsheets on good practice and the links to previous
applications on the website (http://www.athenaswan.org.uk/html/athena-swan/good-practice/previous-applications/)
Who should we include in the SET data?
- Ideally, you should include all staff working on SET.
- Although the SWAN Charter was originally aimed at academic and research staff,
the judges are interested to see how departments create inclusive environments
for technical and support staff as well.
- At Silver and Gold levels we ask for data on students as well because they provide
the pipeline for future staff and their perceptions of the department will have
an impact on future employment.
At Bronze level do I need to provide data for each and every SET Department?
- No. Because we are looking at the university’s baseline policies, we want to
see how SET Departments compare with non-SET departments. If there are particular
disciplines with problems, you could provide data on those along with your plans
to improve the situation. But avoid sending pages of separate data for lots of
SET departments.
Is there a threshold for proportions of female staff at each award level?
- No. Circumstances will vary, for example, some physics departments may have no
female staff, but you will be expected to put in place mechanisms to address this.
Where can we find information about national statistics and data?
We recently changed our HR system and the data is not easily comparable with
previous years. Is this acceptable?
- We welcome efforts to improve data gathering. You should explain what the changes
are and how it has affected the application in the section for ‘any other comments’.
- You should, nevertheless, make some effort to compare progress over the years
so that you can identify where efforts should be prioritised.