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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: [email protected]

Telephone: +353 86 6074538

Contents1. Letter of endorsement from the head of the institution.......................................................12. The self-assessment process.................................................................................................3

2.1 University of Limerick Athena SWAN Steering Committee..............................................3

2.2 Details of the self-assessment process............................................................................52.3 Future plans......................................................................................................................6

3. University of Limerick.............................................................................................................73.1 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.....................................................................254.1 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.............................................................................................................526. University of Limerick Athena SWAN action plan..............................................................54

Glossary of termsA & R Academic and research (staff)ADAA Assistant Dean Academic AffairsADR Assistant Dean ResearchAHSS (Faculty of) Arts, Humanities & Social SciencesAS Athena SWANASSC Athena SWAN Steering CommitteeBUS (Faculty of) Business (Kemmy Business School)CIDs Contracts of indefinite durationCTL Centre of Teaching & LearningEC Executive CommitteeEHS (Faculty of) Education & Health SciencesEPI-STEM National Centre for STEM EducationEU European UnionF FemaleFESTA Female Empowerment in Science & Technology AcademiaFTE Full-time equivalentGA Governing AuthorityGEMS Graduate Entry Medical SchoolGP General practitionerH Higher-levelHEA Higher Education AuthorityHoD Head of departmentHR Human ResourcesHRS4R HR Strategy for ResearchersINF Interfaculty programmesIUA Irish University AssociationKBS Kemmy Business SchoolLAB Lecturer above the BarLBB Lecturer below the BarLEAD Living Equality & DiversityM MaleNUIG National University of Ireland, GalwayPDRS Performance and Development Review SystemPESS (Department of) Physical Education and Sport SciencesPG PostgraduatePGR Postgraduate researchPGT Postgraduate taughtPhD Doctor of PhilosophyPI Principal InvestigatorS&E (Faculty of) Science & EngineeringSAT Self-assessment teamSL Senior lecturerSTEM Science, technology, engineering and mathsSTEMM Science, technology, engineering, maths and medicineUG UndergraduateUL University of LimerickUPB University Promotions BoardVPAR Vice President Academic and RegistrarVPR Vice President ResearchWAP Workload allocation policyWIP Work in progress

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1. Letter of endorsement from the head of the institution

Ms. Sarah DickinsonSenior Policy AdvisorAthena SWAN CharterEquality Challenge UnitQueen’s House55-56 Lincoln’s Inn FieldsLondon 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

University of Limerick, Athena SWAN Bronze Award Application, April 2015 1 | P a g e

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 BarryPresidentUniversity of Limerick

Words: 493/500


2. The self-assessment process

2.1 University of Limerick Athena SWAN Steering CommitteeUL 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.


Governing Authority

34: 26 M, 8 F

Executive Committee9: 7 M, 2 F

ASSC17: 7 M, 10 F

S&EAS SAT

16: 5 M, 11 F

S&EAS

departmental working groups

x 10 (WIP)

EHSAS SAT

15: 7 M, 8 F

EHSAS

departmental working groups

x 6 (WIP)

Table 2.1 ASSC membershipThe 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 OfficeVice 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 DivisionDirector, Human Resources;Executive Committee member

Ms. Marie Connolly Human Resources DivisionHR 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 HayesDepartment 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 processSince 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 teamsThe 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


http://www.ul.ie/hr/athena-swan

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 IrelandASSC 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.

2.3 Future plans UL will continue to be a member of the National Steering Committee and will attend national and regional AS events. The ASSC will meet on a quarterly basis and will commit to the action items set out in the action plan. The faculty SATs will meet on a monthly basis to monitor departmental statistics, implement action and compile data for departmental submissions. AS working groups will be established within each STEMM department.

Action 2.1:Continue to evaluate gender balance and monitor the action plan. Create and disseminate an annual progress report.

Action 2.2:Establish Athena SWAN working groups within STEMM departments.

Action 2.3:Support departments to apply for Athena SWAN awards.

Action 2.4:Have Athena SWAN as a permanent agenda item on faculty board, department and research centre meetings.

Action 2.5:Raise campus-wide awareness of gender equality issues and embed Athena SWAN in UL.

Action 2.6:Review publicity in websites, programme literature, etc. to ensure both genders are reflected.

Action 2.7:Establish a high-profile annual Athena Swan scholarship for Leaving Certificate students to STEMM programmes that have low numbers of females. Fund a recurring PhD studentship that focuses on STEMM.

Action 2.8:Conduct focus groups with female undergraduate and postgraduate students and female academics.

Action 2.9:Establish an Athena SWAN network and cross-functional networks.

Words: 793/800


3. University of Limerick

3.1 Brief description of the institutionEstablished in 1972, UL is an independent, internationally focused university with over 13,000 students and 1,400 full-time equivalent (FTE) members of staff.1 UL is based on a single campus five kilometres from Limerick city. UL has four faculties: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (AHSS); Business (KBS); Education & Health Sciences (EHS); and Science & Engineering (S&E).

Faculty of Education and Health SciencesDean: Professor Alison Perry(Member of the UL Athena SWAN Steering Committee and Chair of EHS AS Self-Assessment Team)

Faculty of Science and EngineeringDean: Professor Edmond Magner(Member of the UL Athena SWAN Steering Committee and Chair of S&E AS Self-Assessment Team)

STEMM departments/school:Clinical TherapiesEducation & Professional StudiesGraduate Entry Medical SchoolNursing & MidwiferyPhysical Education & Sport SciencesPsychology

STEMM departments/school:ArchitectureChemical & Environmental SciencesCivil Engineering & Materials ScienceComputer Science & Information SystemsDesign & Manufacturing TechnologyElectronic & Computer EngineeringLife SciencesMathematics & StatisticsMechanical, Aeronautical & Biomedical EngineeringPhysics & Energy

Governing Authority

President – Professor Don BarryAcademic Council

Faculty of BusinessDean: Dr Philip O’Regan

Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social SciencesDean: Professor Tom Lodge

Accounting & FinanceEconomicsManagement & MarketingPersonal & Employment Relations

HistoryIrish World Academy of Music & DanceLawPolitics & Public AdministrationSchool of Culture and CommunicationSchool of Modern Languages & Applied LinguisticsSociology

Figure 3.1 UL academic faculties and departmentsUL was named 'University of the Year 2015’ in the Sunday Times Good University Guide on the basis of its leading position in graduate employability, strong research

1 In this document, all staff numbers represent full-time equivalent (FTE) members of staff.University of Limerick, Athena SWAN Bronze Award Application, April 2015 7 | P a g e

commercialisation, €52 million Bernal project in science and engineering and rising academic performance.

(i) Information on teaching and research focusIn September 2014, UL launched Engaged Learning: Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy 2014-18, depicted below:

Figure 3.2 UL’s teaching, learning and assessment strategy

UL’s research and knowledge transfer activities span all faculties and disciplines. In 2014, UL was awarded €41.3 million in competitive research funding.


http://www.ul.ie/presoff/sites/default/files/docs/UL_Engaged_Learning.pdf

http://www.ul.ie/presoff/sites/default/files/docs/UL_Engaged_Learning.pdf

(ii) Student numbers

Table 3.1 Undergraduate student numbers by gender and faculty, 2012–2014

EHS S&E AHSS BUS INF STEMM Non-STEMM Total

2012 F 821 600 1110 635 577 1809 1934 3743

M 423 1969 712 820 1059 3223 1760 4983

Total 1244 2569 1822 1455 1636 5032 3694 8726

F % 66% 23% 61% 44% 35% 36% 52% 43%

2013 F 867 683 1093 599 570 1963 1849 3812

M 467 2113 728 785 1059 3400 1752 5152

Total 1334 2796 1821 1384 1629 5363 3601 8964

F % 65% 24% 60% 43% 35% 37% 51% 43%

2014 F 879 713 1123 623 585 2029 1894 3923

M 506 2121 722 796 1055 3457 1743 5200

Total 1385 2834 1845 1419 1640 5486 3637 9123

F % 63% 25% 61% 44% 36% 37% 52% 43%

Key: F = female; M = male; BUS = Faculty of Business (Kemmy Business School); AHSS (Faculty of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences; INF = interfaculty programmes; STEMM (EHS; S&E, STEMM INF programmes); Non-STEMM (AHSS & BUS, Non-STEMM INF programmes)

EHS S&E AHS BUS INF STEMM Non-STEMM0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

UG Current Students

FemaleMale

Stu

de

nts

Figure 3.3 Undergraduate student numbers by gender and faculty and by STEMM vs. non-STEMM departments, 2012–2014

While the proportion of female students from 2012 to 2014 in EHS ranged from 63% and 66%, the percentage in S&E was significantly lower but has increased from 23% to 25%. Non-STEMM female undergraduate numbers has remained steady at 52% (Table 3.1).


Table 3.2 Percentage of 2012/13 graduating STEMM, non-STEMM and total undergraduate females vs. all universities in Ireland

UL 2013 HEA 2013 UL 2014 HEA 2014Total 46% 56% 43% 54%

Non-STEMM 53% 57% 52% 56%

STEMM 40% 55% 37% 51%

Total Non-STEMM STEMM0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

UL 2013HEAUL2014HEA

Figure 3.4 Percentage of 2012/2013 graduating STEMM, non-STEMM and total undergraduate females vs. all universities in Ireland

Female numbers in STEMM departments decreased from 40% in 2013 to 37% in 2014, which is below the national average and a disappointing trend. Based on the 2014 HEA average of 51%, it seems that UL is less attractive to females, particularly in relation to STEMM. This requires further investigation but it looks like the programme content and subject choices available in UL, i.e., more engineering and less life sciences, may be relevant.

Interestingly, of the females who did choose UL, 65% obtained a higher-level 1 (H1) or H2.1 degree compared with 53% of male students for the same period (Table 3.3).


Table 3.3 Degree classification by gender (undergraduate and postgraduate taught students), 2011/12 to 2013/14

Deg

ree

H1

STEM

M

H2.

1 ST

EMM

H2.

2 ST

EMM

H3

STEM

M

STEM

M to

tal

H1

non-

STEM

M

H2.

1 no

n-ST

EMM

H2.

2 no

n-ST

EMM

H3

non-

STEM

M

Non

-STE

MM

to

tal

Tota

l

2011/12

F 103 234 125 44 506 129 350 276 73 828 1334

% of F total 20% 46% 25% 9% 100% 16% 42% 33% 9% 100%

M 121 218 214 110 663 78 211 234 67 590 1253

% of M total 18% 33% 32% 17% 100% 13% 36% 40% 11% 100%

2012/13

F 138 217 133 52 540 125 325 269 59 778 1318

% of F total 26% 40% 25% 10% 100% 16% 42% 35% 8% 100%

M 163 249 248 115 775 80 216 217 100 613 1388

% of M total 21% 32% 32% 15% 100% 13% 35% 35% 16% 100%

2013/14

F 141 230 156 58 585 160 298 239 47 744 1329

% of F total 24% 39% 27% 10% 100% 22% 40% 32% 6% 100%

M 180 311 285 115 891 128 259 206 78 671 1562

% of M total 20% 35% 32% 13% 100% 19% 39% 31% 12% 100%

Total

F 382 681 414 154 1631 414 973 784 179 2350 3981

% of F total 23% 42% 25% 9% 100% 18% 41% 33% 8% 100%

M 464 778 747 340 2329 286 686 657 245 1874 4203

% of M total 20% 33% 32% 15% 100% 15% 37% 35% 13% 100%

Table 3.4 Gender profile of postgraduate PhD students across UL and by faculty2012 2013 2014 Total

Faculty

Fem

ale

Mal

e

Tota

l

Fem

ale

%

Fem

ale

Mal

e

Tota

l

Fem

ale

%

Fem

ale

Mal

e

Tota

l

Fem

ale

%

Fem

ale

Mal

e

Tota

l

Fem

ale

%

EHS 92 48 140 66 117 57 174 67 117 63 180 65 326 168 494 66

S&E 118 239 357 33 116 213 329 35 121 199 320 38 355 651 1006 35

AHSS 100 63 163 61 80 61 141 57 75 62 137 55 255 186 441 58

BUS 41 31 72 57 42 31 73 58 36 30 66 55 119 92 211 56

INF 0 3 3 0 0 2 2 0 1 1 2 50 1 6 7 14

STEMM 177 267 444 40 179 241 420 43 192 236 428 45 548 744 1292 42

Non-STEMM 174 117 291 60 176 123 299 59 158 119 277 57 508 359 867 59

Total 351 384 735 48 355 364 719 49 350 355 705 50 1056

1103

2159 49


EHS S&E AHS BUS INF STEMM Non-STEMM0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

PG PhD Current Students

FemaleMale

Faculty

Stu

de

nts

Figure 3.5 Gender profile of postgraduate PhD students across UL and by faculty

While low, the percentage of female PhD students in S&E has increased from 33% to 38%. Only 35% of S&E PhD graduates are female compared to 66% in EHS, 59% in AHSS/KBS and 49% overall (Table 3.4), which is a cause of concern.

(iii) Staff numbersTable 3.5 Staff numbers and gender

Staff category 2012 2013 2014

Female Male Total Female Male Total Female Male Total

Academic staff 194 268 462 211 292 503 241 284 525

Support staff 411 207 618 409 194 603 395 182 577

Other academic staff 76 67 143 61 46 107 60 46 106

Research staff 84 104 188 81 109 190 95 129 224

Total staff 765 646 1411 762 641 1403 791 641 1432

UL’s 1,432 staff members comprise 855 academic and research staff and 577 administrative/support staff. Table 3.5 gives the gender breakdown. The ‘Other academic staff’ category comprises part-time staff, problem-based learning (PBL) tutors, clinicians, college teachers and hourly-paid teaching staff.

(iv) Total number of departments The number of academic departments within the four faculties is as follows: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences: 7; Business: 4; Education & Health Sciences: 6; and Science & Engineering: 10 (Figure 3.6). UL’s 25 support departments are specified in Figure 3.7.


Academic Organisation Chart

Civil Engineering & Materials Science

Life Sciences

Computer Science & Information

Systems

Faculty of Science & Engineering

Vice President Academic &

Registrar

Physics & Energy

Mechanical, Aeronautical &

Biomedical Engineering

Economics

Accounting & Finance

Politics & Public Administration

Law

Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics

History

Sociology

Irish World Academy of Music

& Dance

Graduate Entry Medical School

Psychology

Personnel & Employment

Relations

Education & Professional

Studies

Nursing & Midwifery

Physical Education & Sport Science

Associate Vice President

Academic

Management & Marketing

Faculty of Education and Health Sciences

Associate Registrar

Electronic & Computer

Engineering

Design & Manufacturing

Technology

Mathematics & Statistics

Clinical Therapies

Faculty of Business Faculty of Arts,

Humanities and Social Sciences

Architecture Chemical &

Environmental Science

Academic Council

President

Governing Authority

Culture and Communication

Figure 3.6 UL academic organisation chartUniversity of Limerick, Athena SWAN Bronze Award Application, April 2015 13 | P a g e

Figure 3.7 UL administrative organisation chartUniversity of Limerick, Athena SWAN Bronze Award Application, April 2015 14 | P a g e

(v) STEMM departmentsTable 3.6 Academic/Research staff by gender and STEMM department (headcount)

2012 2013 2014

Faculty

Fem

ale

Fem

ale

%

Mal

e

Fem

ale

Fem

ale

%

Mal

e

Fem

ale

Fem

ale

%

Mal

e

STEMM

Education & Health Sciences 72 65 39 83 69 38 85 67 41

Science & Engineering 85 25 255 101 28 259 110 28 282

2012 2013 2014

Department

Fem

ale

Fem

ale

%

Mal

e

Fem

ale

Fem

ale

%

Mal

e

Fem

ale

Fem

ale

%

Mal

e

STEMM

EHS

Dean’s Office EHS 1 100 0 1 100 0 1 100 0

Clinical Therapies 16 94 1 17 94 1 18 95 1Education & Prof. Studies 12 60 8 13 59 9 13 59 9Graduate Entry Medical School 7 37 12 9 45 11 9 45 11Nursing & Midwifery 22 96 1 28 97 1 28 97 1Physical Education & Sport Sciences

7 37 12 7 35 13 7 35 13Psychology 7 58 5 8 73 3 9 64 5Health Research Institute 0 0 0 0 1

Total EHS 72 65 39 83 69 38 85 67 41Dean’s Office S&E 0 1 0 1 0 1

S&E

Chemical & Environmental Science

12 29 29 15 32 32 19 33 38


2 13 13 2 13 13 2 17 12Computer Science & Information Systems

9 24 28 9 30 30 9 23 30Design & Manufacturing Technology

8 22 29 9 21 34 11 27 30Electronic & Computer Engineering

2 5 35 2 5 37 2 5 38Lero 3 38 5 3 30 7 3 33 6Life Sciences 14 44 18 18 56 14 18 53 16Materials & Surface Science Institute

5 36 9 8 50 8 8 53 7Mathematics & Statistics 11 29 27 13 33 26 15 38 25Mechanical Aeronautical & Biomedical Engineering

8 21 31 7 18 31 9 18 42Physics & Energy 3 21 11 6 33 12 6 22 21School of Architecture 8 42 11 8 47 9 6 40 9Stokes Institute 0 8 1 17 5 2 22 7

Total S&E 85 25 255 101 28 259 110 28 282

Grand total 157 35 294 184 38 297 195 38 323

Females represented 65% (2012), 69% (2013) and 67% (2014) of academic and research staff in EHS and 25% (2012), 28% (2013) and 28% (2014) of academic and research staff in S&E. Established in 2007 as part of EHS, the Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS) comprises 9 female and 11 male academic clinicians. GEMS relies heavily on PBL tutors, i.e., part-time medical consultants, GPs, nurses and allied health professionals.


Table 3.7: Non-academic staff by gender per STEMM department (headcount)

2012 2013 2014

Fem

ale

Fem

ale

%

Mal

e

Fem

ale

Fem

ale

%

Mal

e

Fem

ale

Fem

ale

%

Mal

e

STEMMEducation & Health Science 67 87 10 76 85 13 72 85 13

Science & Engineering 53 44 68 64 47 71 53 47 60

2012 2013 2014

Department

Fem

ale

Fem

ale

%

Mal

e

Fem

ale

Fem

ale

%

Mal

e

Fem

ale

Fem

ale

%

Mal

e

STEMM

EHS

Dean’s Office EHS 4 80 1 4 80 1 4 80 1

Clinical Therapies 18 100 0 19 100 0 16 100 0

Education & Professional Studies 7 58 5 7 58 5 7 64 4

Graduate Entry Medical School 18 95 1 24 86 4 25 86 4

Nursing & Midwifery 14 93 1 13 93 1 13 93 1

Physical Education & Sport Sciences

3 60 2 6 86 1 3 60 2

Psychology 3 100 0 3 75 1 3 75 1

Health Research Institute 0 0 0 0 1 100 0

Total EHS 67 87 10 76 85 13 72 85 13

Dean’s Office S&E 6 86 1 5 100 0 5 100 0

S&E

Chemical & Environmental Science

4 50 4 11 61 7 9 60 6


3 38 5 4 44 5 4 40 6

Computer Science & Information Systems

5 38 8 5 36 9 5 42 7

Design & Manufacturing Technology

4 24 13 5 28 13 4 24 13

Electronic & Computer Engineering

3 21 11 3 23 10 2 18 9

Lero 0 1 0 1 1 50 1

Life Sciences 9 90 1 9 82 2 7 100 0

Materials & Surface Science Institute

3 75 1 5 83 1 4 100 0

Mathematics & Statistics 7 64 4 6 75 2 4 67 2

Mechanical Aeronautical & Biomedical Eng.

1 8 12 4 21 15 1 9 10

Physics & Energy 6 67 3 5 63 3 4 57 3

School of Architecture 1 33 2 1 33 2 2 50 2

Stokes Institute 1 33 2 1 50 1 1 50 1

Total S&E 53 44 68 64 47 71 53 47 60

Grand total 120 61 78 140 63 84 125 63 73

In 2014, STEMM staff totalled 715: 518 academic/research (72% of total; F = 195; M = 323) and 198 non-academic (28% of total; F = 125; M = 73).

3.2 Staff data(i) Proportion of all categories of academic staff by gender


Table 3.8 Academic and research grading structure

Academic grade Researcher

Professor Senior Research Fellow (13), 12 M, 1 F

Associate Professor Research Fellow (22), 15 M, 7 F

Senior Lecturer Post-doctoral Researcher (189), 102 M, 87 F

Lecturer (Lecturer above the Bar)Lecturer (Lecturer below the Bar)Other Academic Staff

For the purpose of this application, researchers are categorised as one grade because of the small numbers at the higher levels.

Table 3.9 Support staff structure

Executive grades Senior Administrative Officer 1-3

Senior Executive Administrator

Executive Administrator

Senior Administrator

Senior Administrator > 20years’ service

Administrator

Library Sub-Librarian

Assistant Librarian

Library Assistant 3

Library Assistant 1 & 2

Library Attendant

Technical Analyst Programmer 3

Analyst Programmer 2

Analyst Programmer 1

Chief Technical Officer

Senior Technical Officer

Technical Officer

Computer Operator

Laboratory Attendant

Print Operator 1 & 2

Computer Lab Attendant

Senior Lab Attendant

Grounds staff Grounds Supervisor, Grounds Workperson, Machine Attendant, Senior Aide, Grounds Foreperson

Service staff Senior Porter, Porter Attendant, Porter Service Staff

Table 3.10 Academic/Research staff by grade and gender, 2012–2014

2012 2013 2014


ProfessorFemale 14 (32%) 16 (32%) 17 (31%)

Male 30 34 38

Associate ProfessorFemale 5 (29%) 7 (22%) 6 (19%)

Male 22 25 25

Senior LecturerFemale 32 (39%) 42 (39%) 42 (39%)

Male 50 66 66

LecturerFemale 73 (44%) 71 (40%) 100 (49%)

Male 94 107 104

Lecturer below the BarFemale 70 (49%) 75 (56%) 76 (60%)

Male 72 60 51

Other Academic StaffFemale 76 (53%) 61 (57%) 60 (57%)

Male 67 46 46

ResearcherFemale 84 (45%) 81 (43%) 95 (42%)

Male 104 109 129

Grand total

Female 354 (45%) 353 (44%) 396 (46%)

Male 439 447 459

Total 793 800 855

Profes

sor

Assoc

iate P

rofes

sor

Senior

Lectu

rer

Lectu

rer

Lectu

rer b

elow th

e Bar

Other A

cade

mic Staf

f

Resea

rcher

Grand

Tota

l050

100150200250300350400450500

2014 University Academic/Research by Grade & Gender

FemaleMale

Staff

Nu

mb

er

Figure 3.8 Academic/Research staff by grade and gender

Females fill 46% of all academic and research grades. The proportion of female academic and research staff increased slightly (from 44% to 46%) between 2012 and 2014. The percentage of female professors, while still well above the national average of 19% (22% UK average) decreased slightly (from 32% to 31%). The percentage of female researchers went from 45% to 42%. Overall, academic staff numbers increased by 7% (female = +11%; male = +4.5%).

Table 3.11 Academic/Research staff by grade and gender, STEMM vs non-STEMM

University A & R Total Non-STEMM STEMM

2012 2013 2014 2012 2013 2014 2012 2013 2014


54%46%

58%42%43%57%

40%60%

51%49%61%39%

81%19%

69%31%

ProfessorF 14

(32%) 16 (32%) 17 (31%) 5 (36%) 8 (50%) 5 (31%) 9 (30%) 8 (24%) 12 (31%)

M 30 34 38 9 8 11 21 26 27

Associate Professor

F 5 (19%) 7 (41%) 6 (19%) 3 (18%) 5 (29%) 3 (19%) 2 (17%) 2 (13%) 3 (20%)

M 22 25 25 12 12 13 10 13 12

Senior Lecturer

F 32 (39%) 42 (39%) 42 (39%) 21 (50%) 28 (42%) 31 (46%) 11 (28%) 14 (34%) 11 (27%)

M 50 66 66 21 39 36 29 27 30

LecturerF 73 (44%) 71 (40%) 100 (49) 28 (60%) 23 (38%) 51 (65%) 45 (38%) 48 (41%) 49 (39%)

M 94 107 104 19 37 28 75 70 76

Lecturer below the Bar

F 70 (49%) 75 (56%) 76 (60%) 33 (58%) 38 (63%) 39 (72%) 37 (44%) 37 (49%) 37 (51%)

M 72 60 51 24 22 15 48 38 36

Other Academic Staff

F 76 (53%) 61 (57%) 60 (57%) 70 (60%) 52 (64%) 54 (63%) 6 (23%) 9 (35%) 6 (30%)

M 67 46 46 47 29 32 20 17 14

ResearcherF 84 (45%) 81 (43%) 95 (42%) 37 (74%) 15 (83%) 18 (95%) 47 (34%) 66 (38%) 77 (38%)

M 104 109 129 13 3 1 91 106 128

TotalF 354(45%

)353(44%

)396(46%

)197(58%

)169(53%

)201(60%

)157(35%

)184(38%

)195(38%

)

M 439 447 459 145 150 136 294 297 323

Grand total 793 800 855 342 319 337 451 481 518

F = Female; M = Male

Profe

ssor

Assoc

iate

Pro

fess

or

Senior L

ectu

rer

Lectur

er

Lectur

er b

elow

the

Bar

Oth

er A

cade

mic

Staff

Res

earc

her

Gra

nd T

otal0

50100150200250300350400450500

2014 STEMM by grade and gender

FemaleMale

Sta

ff N

um

be

r

Figure 3.9 Academic/Research staff by gender and grade, 2014

From 2012 to 2014, the percentage increase in female academic and research staff (45% to 44% to 46%) arose from a 3% increase in STEMM departments (35% to 38%) and a 2% increase in non-STEMM departments (58% to 60%).

The percentage of female academic and research staff in S&E increased from 25% to 28%, which, while low, is welcome (Table 3.6).


69%31%

80%20%

73%27%

61%39% 49%51% 70%30%

62%38%

62%38%

Education & Health Sciences Science & Engineering STEMM Total0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

2014 STEMM

FemaleMale

Staff

Nu

mb

er

Figure 3.10 Academic/Research staff in STEMM

Dean’s O

ffice Educati

on & Health Sci

ences

Dept. of Clinical

Thera

pies

Education Profes

sional S

tudies

Graduate

Entry

Medical Sch

ool

Nursing &

Midwifery

Physical E

ducation & Sp

ort Scien

cesPsyc

hology

Health Rese

arch Institute

05

1015202530

2014 Education & Health Sciences

FemaleMale

Staff

Num

ber

Figure 3.11 Academic/Research staff by gender and department: EHS

Clinical Therapies and Nursing & Midwifery have the highest proportion of female academic and research staff while GEMS (37% in 2012, increasing to 45% in 2014) and PESS (37% in 2012, dropping to 35% in 2014) have the lowest. See Table 3.6.


Chemical

& Enviro

nmental Scie

nce

Civil Engin

eering &

Material

s Scien

ce

Computer Scie

nce & Information Sys

tems

Dean’s O

ffice Scien

ce & En

gineer

ing

Design & Manufact

uring Technology

Electro

nic & Computer

Engineer

ingLer

o

Life Sci

ences

Material

s Surfac

e Scien

ce Institute

Mathem

atics & Sta

tistics

Mechanical

Aeronautical

& Biomedical En

g.

Physics &

Energ

y

School of Arch

itecture

Stokes

Institute

0

10

20

30

40

2014 Science & Engineering

FemaleMale

Staff

Num

ber

Figure 3.12: Academic/Research staff by gender and department: S&E

Female numbers in most S&E departments is disappointingly low with the exception of Life Sciences, where its 44% female staff in 2012 increased to 53% in 2014. The percentage of females in Mathematics & Statistics increased from 29% in 2012 to 38% in 2014 (Table 3.6). At 5% for the period, the department with the lowest percentage of female academic and research employees was Electronic & Computer Engineering.

As can been seen from the career pipeline (figures 3.13, 3.14 and 3.15), one issue for UL is the lack of female students at entry level to S&E subject areas: 23% in 2012 and only up 2% to 25% in 2014 (Table 3.1). A second issue is the leaks in the career pipeline, which can be seen clearly for females between lecturer, senior lecturer and associate professor. A contributory factor to this was the Employment Control Framework, which had an impact on UL’s ability to address the leaks, i.e., no promotions. Further investigation is required to analyse what other factors are impacting this trend (Action 3.2). The move to a merit-based promotions process should help UL address this imbalance.


UGPGT

PGR

PG PhD

Resea

rcher

Lect

urer B

elow

the

Bar

Lect

urer

Senio

r Lec

ture

r

Associa

te P

rofe

ssor

Profe

ssor0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

STEMM 2012

2012 Female2012 Male

Figure 3.13 STEMM career pipeline 2012

UGPGT

PGR

PG PhD

Resea

rcher

Lect

urer B

elow

the

Bar

Lect

urer

Senio

r Lec

ture

r

Associa

te P

rofe

ssor

Profe

ssor0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

STEMM 2013



UGPGT

PGR

PG PhD

Resea

rcher

Lect

urer B

elow

the

Bar

Lect

urer

Senio

r Lec

ture

r

Associa

te P

rofe

ssor

Profe

ssor0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

STEMM 2014




Action 3.1:Create a data bank of staff statistics that is easily accessible to STEMM departments when applying for Athena SWAN awards.

Action 3.2:Examine promotional timeframes between male and female staff within the institution with a particular emphasis on the STEMM subject areas.

(ii) Leavers by grade and gender The number of academic staff who exit UL early is low; more males than females leave.

Table 3.12 Profile of full-time and part-time academic leavers by gender and grade2012 2013 2014

Grade Status Female Male Female Male Female Male

Professor Full-time 0 2 0 0 0 2

Associate Professor Full-time 0 0 0 0 0 1

Lecturer above the Bar

Full-time 1 3 0 1 0 4

Part-time 0 0 0 1 0 0


Full-time 3 0 2 0 0 1

Researcher Full-time 0 1 0 0 0 0

Grand total 4 6 2 2 0 8

Table 3.13 Profile of leavers across STEMM departments2012 2013 2014

Faculty Grade type Status Female Male Female Male Female Male

STEMM (EHS and S&E)

EHS

Professor Full-time 0 0 0 0 0 2

Lecturer above the Bar

Full-time 0 2 0 0 0 1


Full-time 1 0 2 0 0 0

S&E

Professor

Full-time 0 2 0 0 0 0

Full-time 0 0 0 1 0 2

Part-time 0 0 0 1 0 0


Full-time 1 0 0 0 0 0

Researcher Full-time 0 1 0 0 0 0

Grand total 2 5 2 2 0 5


(iii) Staff on fixed-term, open-ended, zero-hour and permanent contracts

Table 3.14 Number of female and male academic staff in STEMM and across the university on permanent (contracts of indefinite duration) and temporary contracts

Unit 2012 2013 2014

Status Female Male Female Male Female Male

University Permanent 192 276 193 279 209 298

Contract 186 187 184 192 211 185

Hourly 152 140 150 135 142 129

Non-STEMM

Permanent 92 72 94 71 103 78

Contract 117 85 87 91 110 70

Hourly 72 53 69 50 63 47

STEMM Permanent 100 204 99 207 106 220

Contract 69 102 97 102 101 115

Hourly 80 87 81 85 79 82

The percentage of females on permanent contracts has remained steady from 2012 to 2014: non-STEMM at 56% to 57% and STEMM at 33%.

(iv) Evidence from equal pay audits/reviews While pay audits have not been a legislative requirement, we are committed to commencing these and to publishing the data within the next 12 months. After analysing the audit data, we will identify and implement specific actions to address any gaps.

We are very mindful that the European Commission statistics published in 2014 show Ireland’s gender pay gap is increasing (from 12.6% in 2009 to 14.4% in 2012).

Action 3.3:Undertake a comprehensive pay gap analysis, ensuring anonymity.

Action 3.4:Examine data relating to women in casual labour and CID situations.

Words: 1,062/1,000


4. Supporting and advancing women’s careers

4.1 Key career transition points(i) RecruitmentUL’s policies on the recruitment and selection of academic, research and support staff clearly set out best practice for all stages of the recruitment process. UL brings vacancies to the notice of the widest audience possible by advertising jobs on irishjobs.ie, universityvacancies.com, jobsac.co.uk, euraxess.eu and globalacademyjobs.com. UL’s e-recruitment platform enables applicants to apply for positions online and register for job email alerts. Having such a process in place helps attract additional applicants from home and abroad.

As can be seen in tables 4.1 and 4.2, the number of competitions in academic and research posts from 2012 to 2014 was considerably higher in STEMM than in non-STEMM faculties.

Table 4.1 Number of advertised academic posts by faculty, STEMM/non-STEMM, 2012–2014

Faculty/DivisionNumber of

competitions 2012-2014

2012 2013 2014 % of total

University total 149 48 54 47 100%Non-STEMM total 59 23 20 16 39%STEMM total 90 25 34 31 61%Education & Health Sciences 52 14 16 22 35%Science & Engineering 38 11 18 9 26%

Unive

rsity

Tot

al

Non

-STEM

M T

otal

STEMM

Tot

al

Educa

tion

and

Hea

lth S

cienc

e

Scienc

e & E

nginee

ring

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

201220132014

Figure 4.1 Number of advertised academic posts by faculty and year

Table 4.2 Number of advertised research posts by faculty, STEMM/non-STEMM, 2012–2014

Faculty/DivisionNumber of

competitions 2012-2014

2012 2013 2014 % of total

University total 248 53 100 95 100%Non-STEMM total 15 2 4 9 6%STEMM total 233 51 96 86 94%Education & Health Sciences 48 6 19 23 19%Science & Engineering 185 45 77 63 75%


http://www2.ul.ie/pdf/531348387.pdf



Univer

sity T

otal

Non-S

TEMM Tota

l

STEMM Tota

l

Educa

tion a

nd H

ealth

Scie

nce

Scienc

e & E

ngine

ering0

20

40

60

80

100

120

201220132014

Figure 4.2 Number of advertised research posts by university total: STEMM and non-STEMM by year

Tables 4.3 and 4.4 show the number and gender of applicants to academic and research posts and the respective success rates from 2012 to 2014. Overall, the pattern of appointments suggests that, despite the higher proportion of male applicants in STEMM competitions, women filled almost half of the academic and approximately 45% of the research appointments in STEMM positions for that period. However, tables 4.3 and 4.4 show that the low application and success rates of women in S&E (24% and 33% overall) is a concern that is masked in the overall STEMM numbers, which include clinicians in Clinical Therapies and GEMS.

Note: More appointments than posts advertised reflects several appointments from one competition; less reflects an unsuccessful competition.

For both STEMM and non-STEMM, a larger percentage of females were successful than as a percentage of applicants, which shows that females were having more success than males. This is even true within S&E, where 33% of successful applicants were female while only constituting 24% of the total number of applicants. We do note that there was significant variation (13-44%) within the period.


Table 4.3 Academic competition success rates by gender and faculty, STEMM/non-STEMM, 2012–2014

Faculty/Division Year

Number of female applicant

s

Number of male

applicants

Number of

successful female

applicants

Number of

successful male

applicants

% of applicants who are

female

% of successfu

l applicants

who are female

University total 2012 318 430 23 22 43% 51%

2013 465 560 31 32 45% 49%

2014 286 321 22 24 47% 48%

University total 2012-14 1069 1311 76 78 45% 49%

Non-STEMM 2012 175 235 12 12 43% 50%

2013 216 198 10 11 52% 48%

2014 117 74 11 6 61% 65%

Non-STEMM total 508 507 33 29 50% 53%

STEMM 2012 143 195 11 10 42% 52%

2013 249 362 21 21 41% 50%

2014 169 247 11 18 41% 38%

STEMM total 561 804 43 49 41% 47%

Education & Health Sciences

2012 105 61 9 3 63% 75%

2013 156 110 10 7 59% 59%

2014 143 145 10 11 50% 48%

Education & Health Sciences total 404 316 29 21 56% 58%

Science & Engineering 2012 38 134 2 7 22% 22%

2013 93 252 11 14 27% 44%

2014 26 102 1 7 20% 13%

Science & Engineering total 157 488 14 28 24% 33%


University Total 2012-

14

Non-STEMM Total

STEMM To-tal

Education & Health Sci-ences Total

Science & Engineering

Total

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Number of Female ApplicantsNumber of Male ApplicantsNumber of Successful Female ApplicantsNumber of Successful Male Ap-plicants

Figure 4.3 Application success rates by gender, STEMM/non-STEMM (academic competitions)

University To-tal 2012-14

Non-STEMM Total

STEMM Total Education & Health Sci-ences Total


Total

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

% of Applicants who are Female% of Successful Applicants who Are Female

Figure 4.4 Percentage of female applicants by percentage of successful applicants, STEMM/non-STEMM (academic competitions)

Table 4.4 Research competition success rates by gender and faculty, STEMM/non-STEMM, 2012–2014

Faculty/Division YearNumber

of female applicant

s

Number of male

applicants

Number of

successful female

applicants

Number of

successful male

applicants

% of applicants who are

female

% of successfu

l applicants

who are female

UL total 2012 184 412 15 31 31% 33%2013 388 528 47 53 42% 47%2014 356 411 39 45 46% 46%

UL total 2012-14 928 1351 101 129 41% 44%

2012 1 1 0 1 50% 0%


Non-STEMM2013 7 20 1 4 26% 20%

2014 17 15 2 3 53% 40%

Non-STEMM total 25 36 3 8 41% 27%

STEMM2012 183 411 15 30 31% 33%2013 381 508 46 49 43% 48%2014 339 396 37 42 46% 47%

STEMM total 903 1315 98 121 41% 45%

EHS2012 90 31 6 0 74% 100%2013 169 92 11 3 65% 79%2014 187 69 16 5 73% 76%

EHS total 446 192 33 8 70% 80%

S&E2012 93 380 9 30 20% 23%2013 212 416 35 46 34% 43%2014 152 327 21 37 32% 36%

S&E total 457 1123 65 113 29% 37%

University Total 2012-

14

Non-STEMM Total

STEMM total Education & Health Sci-ences Total


Total

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Number of Female ApplicantsNumber of Male ApplicantsNumber of successful Female ApplicantsNumber of successful Male Ap-plicants

Figure 4.5 Application success rates by gender, STEMM/non-STEMM (research posts)


University To-tal 2012-14

Non-STEMM Total

STEMM total Education & Health Sci-ences Total


Total

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

% of Applicants who are Female% of Successful Applicants who are Female

Figure 4.6 Percentage of female applicants by percentage of successful female applicants, STEMM/non-STEMM (research competitions), 2012–2014

As with academic and research positions combined, a higher proportion of successful research candidates are female when compared to the proportion of applications: 45% vs. 41%. This pattern is also seen in S&E: 37% vs. 29%. UL recognises the need to increase the number of female applicants in STEMM (Table 4.4) and will review its processes to ensure that (i) the procedures used to advertise posts are gender neutral, (ii) female applicants are actively encouraged, (iii) training is provided and (iv) members of interview boards are given training on unconscious bias.

Action 4.1:Publicise the university’s membership of Athena SWAN in STEMM job advertisements and on the university’s e-recruitment webpage.

Action 4.2:Following on from the research undertaken by the EU project FESTA (Female Empowerment in Science & Technology Academia), set up a working group to examine ways to generate more female applicants to STEMM departments and review recruitment procedures.

Action 4.3:Gender-proof the language used in job descriptions.

Action 4.4:Review interview-skills training for selection board members, including training on unconscious bias and the LEAD (Living Equality & Diversity) e-learning programme.

Action 4.5:Review the composition of selection boards and promotions panels. Aim to achieve a 30% gender representation on all panels. Monitor the success rate of female applicants as the gender ratio of boards changes.


(ii) Induction Managers and heads of departments are issued with an induction checklist, which sets out the steps to follow to ensure that new employees receive both local and general induction. Induction includes reference to competency frameworks and role profiles and how they are used to inform UL’s recruitment, selection, promotions, performance and development review processes. Staff are given information on institutional protocols, policies, procedures, regulations, family-friendly supports and employee assistance programmes. While new employees are required to attend formal induction and attendance is tracked, there is no formal mechanism for tracking induction at local levels.

Action 4.6:Review staff induction processes at institutional, faculty, STEMM and non-STEMM departmental levels.

(iii) Personal development review UL’s Performance and Development Review System (PDRS) involves two-way communication between individuals and their line manager. The system’s main aim is to improve performance and enhance professional/career development. Annual one-to-one review meetings are held to set each individual’s goals and objectives. The PDRS is currently a stand-alone system, i.e., it is not linked to a workload allocation model.

The PDRS applies to all staff who have a contract in excess of 10 months. Reviewees and reviewers are required to attend PDRS training, and the training is tracked. To date, approximately 1,600 employees have attended PDRS training, and feedback is extremely positive. However, to make the process more transparent and effective for all users, UL wishes to move to an e-performance system to enable participation to be tracked, relevant gender-based statistics to be gathered and the integration of workload allocation and full economic costing of teaching and research activities to be facilitated.

Action 4.7:Conduct a review of the Performance and Development Review System (PDRS) and evaluate how it could be linked to a workload allocation model.

(iv) PromotionThe promotions process includes advertised vacancies, academic promotions and job evaluation for research and support staff. UL did not run any academic promotions or job evaluations during 2009, 2010 or 2011 due to severe government cutbacks.

Academic promotions are governed by policies and procedures for (i) progression across the merit bar (lecturer from below to above the bar); (ii) progression of lecturer above the bar to senior lecturer; (iii) senior lecturer to associate professor; (iv) internal promotion to professor; and (v) the retention scheme.

Progression across the merit bar Lecturers below the bar are appointed on tenure track (five-year fixed-term contracts). Staff on carers’ leave may have their tenure track period extended by the same length of time as the carers’ leave period.

Between 2012 and 2014, three calls were issued for progression across the merit bar. In 2012, a total of 26 females applied for progression. Overall, five (19%) women were successful, two (40%) of whom were from STEMM. Fifteen (43%) of the 35 male applicants were successful, seven (47%) of whom were from STEMM. Success rates for women in 2013 and 2014 were better: eight out of nine female applicants from STEMM progressed in 2013 and two out of the three applicants from S&E progressed in 2014.


Thus, in this three-year period, overall success rates for female academics improved. Table 4.5 provides summary data for this early career point. The system for progression across the merit bar was reviewed and changed in 2013: it is now based on individual performance assessment against criteria and benchmarks relative to discipline norms.

In line with the literature (Doherty and Manfredi, 2005), UL male employees more readily apply for promotion than their female colleagues; women are more reticent to put themselves forward and more likely to undervalue their achievements. Plans are in place to encourage more females to apply for promotion (Action 4.8).

Table 4.5 Progression across the merit bar: application and success rates by faculty and gender, 2012–2014

LBB with 3+ years’ service at promotion deadline Applied to LAB Successful

Year Dept.

Fem

ale

Mal

e

% F

emal

e

Fem

ale

Mal

e

% of eligible female

s applied

% of eligible males

applied Fem

ale

Mal

e

% of applied females

successful

% of applied males

successful

2012 Non-STEMM 23 17 58 15 17 65 100 3 8 19 47STEMM 18 20 47 11 18 61 90 2 7 20 39

Total 41 37 53 26 35 63 95 5 15 19 432013 Non-STEMM 17 9 65 11 6 65 67 2 5 18 83

STEMM 15 19 44 9 13 60 68 8 7 89 54

Total 32 28 53 20 19 63 68 10 12 50 632014 Non-STEMM 15 12 56 6 3 40 25 4 1 67 33

STEMM 10 17 37 4 15 40 88 2 7 50 47

Total 25 29 46 10 18 40 62 6 8 60 44

Key: LBB = Lecturer below the Bar; LAB = Lecturer above the Bar

Univer

sity T

otal 2

012-

14

Non-S

TEMM Tota

l

STEMM Tota

l

Scienc

e and

Eng

ineer

ing T

otal

Educa

tion a

nd H

ealth

Scie

nces

Tota

l0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Number of Male ApplicantsNumber of Female ApplicantsNumber of Successful Male Ap-plicantsNumber of Succesful Female Applicants

Figure 4.7 Progression across the merit bar: numbers of applications and success rates by faculty and gender, 2012–2014


Univer

sity T

otal 2

012-

14

Non-S

TEMM Tota

l

STEMM Tota

l

Scienc

e and

Eng

ineer

ing T

otal

Educa

tion a

nd H

ealth

Scie

nces

Tota

l0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

% of Female Applicants who are Succesful% of Male Applicants who are Successful

Figure 4.8 Progression across the merit bar: success rates by faculty and gender, 2012–2014

Promotion from lecturer to senior lecturer and promotion from senior lecturer to associate professor 2013Since 2014, promotion from lecturer (above the bar) to senior lecturer and from senior lecturer to associate professor is based on performance assessed against criteria relative to disciplinary norms and outputs. Before 2014, promotion was restricted by budget. In 2013, because there was a limit of 13 promotions to senior lecturer level and 5 to associate professor, faculty boards were limited in the number of applicants they could propose. Eight STEMM applicants (two women (25%)) were promoted to senior lecturer. In the competition for associate professor, 17 men and 7 women (three STEMM and four non-STEMM) applied, of whom three men and two (non-STEMM) women were successful.

Table 4.6 Lecturer above the bar (LAB) to senior lecturer; numbers eligible to apply; application and success rates

LAB with 3+ years’ service at promotion deadline 2012 Applied to senior lecturer Successful

Department

Fem

ale

Mal

e

% F

emal

e

Fem

ale

Mal

e

% of eligible females applied

% of eligible males

applied Fem

ale

Mal

e

% female

applicant

success rate

% male applican

t success

rate

Non-STEMM 40 23 63 12 10 30 43 4 1 33 10

STEMM 56 66 46 8 19 14 29 2 6 25 32

Total 96 89 52 20 29 21 33 6 7 30 24


Univer

sity T

otal

Non-S

TEMM Tota

l

STEMM Tota

l

Educa

tion &

Hea

lth S

cienc

es

Scienc

e & E

ngine

ering0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Number of Female ApplicantsNumber of Male ApplicantsNumber of Promoted Female ApplicantsNumber of Promoted Male Ap-plicants

Figure 4.9 Lecturer above the bar (LAB) to senior lecturer (2013), STEMM/non-STEMM applications submitted and success rates by gender

For promotion from lecturer to senior lecturer, seven men (54%) and six women (46%) were successful. The percentage of successful women applicants across the institution was 30% compared to 24% of men. Within STEMM, however, women were slightly less successful: 25% compared to 32% of male applicants. The revised one-step academic promotions process (2014) will now see all applications going straight to the UPB.

In the grand total, a larger proportion of successful applicants were female (46%) than had applications submitted (43%); once again, females were doing comparatively slightly better than males (overall). However, this trend is seen most strongly in non-STEMM departments, where the proportions were 80% as opposed to 58%. In STEMM departments, the trend was in the opposite direction: 25% of successful candidates were female yet 33% of applicants were female. Only 21% of original applicants were female so these proportions are still representing a higher proportion of successful female applicants than within the original applicants.

Table 4.7 summarises data for 2013. With only five posts available, a maximum of five applicants from each faculty could be proposed.

Table 4.7 Senior lecturer to associate professor 2013: numbers eligible to apply, application and success rates by gender

Senior lecturer with 3+ years’ service at promotion deadline

Applied to associate professor Successful

Department

Fem

ale

Mal

e

% fe

mal

e

Fem

ale

Mal

e

% of eligible females applied

% of eligible males

applied Fem

ale

Mal

e

% female

applicant

success rate

% male applican

t success

rate

Non-STEMM 10 17 37 4 7 40 41 2 0 50 0

STEMM 8 28 22 3 10 38 36 0 3 0 30

Total 18 45 29 7 17 39 38 2 3 29 18


Univer

sity T

otal

Non-S

TEMM Tota

l

STEMM Tota

l

Educa

tion &

Hea

lth S

cienc

es

Scienc

e & E

ngine

ering0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Number of Female ApplicantsNumber of Male ApplicantsNumber of Promoted Female ApplicantsNumber of Promoted Male Ap-plicants

Figure 4.10 Senior lecturer to associate professor promotion 2013: applications submitted and success rates by gender

While three men were promoted to associate professor compared to two women, the success rate of women based on overall female applications was 29% compared to 18% for males. Although the university-wide percentage of successful female candidates (40%) is above the percentage of female applicants (30%), these figures are mainly driven by non-STEMM figures, for which all the successful applicants were female (2). However, the overall number of applications (3) from STEMM was low (S&E = 3; EHS = 0). None of the three S&E female applicants was successful.

Promotion to professor (personal chair)Table 4.8 gives the number of submitted and successful applications by gender for internal promotion to professor from 2007 to 2014. While the number of applications for both genders is low (7), the number of female applications (2) relative to male applications (5) is a concern.

Table 4.8 Promotions to professor (personal chair) by gender, 2007–2014

Male applicants Female applicants Successful male applicants

Successful female applicants

5 2 3 1

UL recognises the need to increase the number of female applicants from STEMM at all levels of promotion and will monitor the new procedures to this end. We will implement further workshops for females to support increased promotions applications and undertake focus groups to ascertain why more women are not putting themselves forward (Action 4.8).

Retention scheme Approved in 2011, UL’s retention scheme for academic staff was designed to retain staff of strategic importance to the university. Even though all females who applied to the scheme were successful, the number was low (2) and accounted for only 20% of total applications (10), which, as outlined above, is a concern.


Table 4.9 Number of applicants and success rates for retention scheme by gender, 2011–2014

Male applicants Female applicants Successful male applicants

Successful female applicants

8 2 7 2

Action 4.8:Undertake focus groups with female academic staff to ascertain why more females do not put themselves forward for promotion.

Action 4.9:Review the research job evaluation/progression process for female applicants.

Action 4.10:Review promotion assessment guidelines to ensure that cognisance is taken of periods of leave taken by applicants.

Promotion support To support staff on tenure track contracts, UL has introduced a programme to develop the skills and competencies of entry-level academic staff. As part of this, annual optional interim development review meetings are offered to provide feedback on progress and identify areas in need of attention (to be extended to all promotion processes – Action 4.11). Workshops on how to apply for promotion are offered to staff. Through its promotions policies, UL will continue to encourage successful applicants to make their portfolios (applications) available to prospective applicants to view. Unsuccessful applicants receive a letter informing them of the board’s decision and their scores and may seek a meeting with the chairperson of the UPB and their dean to discuss their outcomes in detail.

Action 4.11:Extend the facility for interim reviews to all academic promotions over a three-year time frame.

Action 4.12:Encourage all applicants who have been successful in seeking progression across the merit bar to share their portfolios/applications openly.

Action 4.13:Implement a research grant for returning academic carers.

(v) Selection committeesIn line with best practice, UL has clearly defined policies and procedures for recruiting and selecting employees. Vacancies are advertised on irishjobs.ie, universityvacancies.com, jobsac.co.uk, euraxess.eu and globalacademyjobs.com to reach as wide an audience as possible.

Selection board members are encouraged to undertake interview skills training. A HR representative briefs each selection board and reminds the chairperson to ask board members to declare any potential conflict of interest and to ensure that all candidates are treated fairly and given an opportunity to ask questions. Since April 2015, prior to sitting on a board, all selection board members are required to complete the online unconscious bias training programme (Action 4.4).


Composition of promotions boardsA recommendation to give due regard to gender balance when nominating and appointing UPB members emerged from a review of the academic promotions process in 2013/14. Section 7.1 of the Policy and Procedures for the Promotion of Academic Staff enables the President to co-opt additional members, if necessary, to ensure gender balance. UL is committed to achieving a 30% gender representation on all panels (Action 4.5). We do not want to increase the workload of existing female staff and therefore plan to reach this target by including external females on the boards. This policy is implemented in the promotions rounds currently underway, and we will continue to track and analyse data by gender as competitions are completed (Action 4.5).

4.2 Career development(i) Support to post-doctoral researchers for academic career progression UL supports researchers across the institution and within STEMM departments through the HR Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R), which is in line with the requirements of the EU HR Excellence in Research accreditation. The HRS4R provides a researchers’ career framework, which outlines criteria for progression (promotion) from post-doctoral researcher to research fellow to senior research fellow. UL was awarded the HR Excellence in Research award by the European Commission in 2013.

Services offered by the Centre of Teaching & Learning (CTL), HR, the Graduate School and the faculties are open to post-doctoral researchers. Since 2012, 49 female and 100 male academic and research staff from STEMM have engaged with the CTL on initiatives such as portfolio development, peer observation, workshops/seminars, technology-enhanced learning and academic writing.

Three male and nine female academics from STEMM have completed the Level 9 Specialist Diploma in Teaching, Learning and Scholarship programme, and two males and two females have enrolled on the programme this year.

Lunchtime programmes and half-day workshops are delivered by internal and external contributors for post-doctoral researchers and academic staff. Typical sessions cover the use of media to enhance a research profile, research strategy, university-industry partnerships, networking skills for researchers and academics and career workshops and talks. Over the past three years, 339 STEMM females have availed of these workshops.

UL’s Press Office profiles academics, researchers, journal articles and research findings in both proactive and reactive capacities locally, nationally and internationally. Recent years have seen a focus on profiling female researchers from STEMM. An example is the national and international profiling of UL’s Professor Sibel Erduran, Ireland’s only chair of STEM education.

(ii) Training UL provides training on generic skills such as research and communication, including in relation to publication. In addition, HR and the STEMM departments facilitate continual professional development opportunities for staff. Indeed, this is an especially important aspect of the academic role when delivering programmes involving accreditation by national governing bodies (e.g., medicine and clinical therapies). Career development programmes for women are also offered.


mailto:http://www3.ul.ie/ctl/academic-development-specialist-diploma

http://www3.ul.ie/ctl/support-for-staff

mailto:http://www2.ul.ie/pdf/346326387.pdf

Career development programme for women academics The Career Development for Women Academics modular programme was delivered in 2012/13 to UL mid-career women academics. Fifteen academic/research staff participated, of whom five were from STEMM. The programme addressed career planning, compiling portfolios and CVs, using social media effectively and managing reputation within academia. It is intended to offer the programme again in 2016 and 2017.

Action 4.14:Implement annual career development programmes for mid-career female academic/research staff in STEMM.

Gender awareness training Before sitting on a selection or promotions board, board members will be required to take UL’s LEAD (Living Equality & Diversity) e-learning programme, which covers all aspects of equality, and the online unconscious bias training programme (Action 4.4).

Academic and research leadership development programmesUL has provided a modular academic and research leadership development programme since 2008 to assist current and potential leaders to fully understand the leadership skills required to be an effective academic leader. Programme participants develop a self-awareness of their leadership, communication and decision-making styles and an ability to assess the strategic issues facing the university. To date, 81 academic and research staff have participated, with more STEMM males than females being nominated. The deans are committed to increasing the number of STEMM females nominated to the programme.

Table 4.10 Academic and research leadership development programme: participation by gender

Academic and research leadership development programme participants Number in programme

Total number in leadership development programme 81

Total male 46

Total female 35

Total in STEMM 51

Total male in STEMM 32

Total female in STEMM 19

Women in Leadership programme In 2011/12, 32 (8 STEMM) women from senior academic and support service roles participated in the Women in Leadership programme, which was run on a pilot basis in collaboration with the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG). Delivered by Professor Susan Vinnicombe OBE MA PhD MCIM FRSA, the programme explored the differences between male and female leadership. It helped participants to clarify their personal definitions of career success and understand how women can be more proactive in advancing their careers. UL will run two further programmes in the coming three years. In addition, UL sponsored four female STEMM academics to participate in the first Aurora leadership development programme in Ireland.

Action 4.15:Run two further Women in Leadership programmes. Sponsor 12 female participants (8 from STEMM) on the Aurora programme annually.

Action 4.16:Promote strategic career development for female staff and continue to offer ongoing professional


http://www.ul.ie/hr/lead-living-equality-diversity-elearning-programme

development programmes.

Action 4.17:Review international research training initiatives with a view to incorporating best practice into UL initiatives. Identify creative ways to actively advertise and encourage take-up of training initiatives.

Action 4.18:Provide specific Principal Investigator (PI) management training, including mentoring and managing post-doctoral staff.

Action 4.19:Provide career transitions training and support to enable post-doctoral, technical and scientific support staff to transition into wider research/project management posts.

Action 4.20:Foster collaborative research projects across faculties and departments to support career pathways and progression.

Action 4.21:Provide research-focused workshops at institutional and departmental levels, including workshops on team management and the commercialisation of research.

Action 4.22:Complete the EU FESTA project to examine the role of women in research.

Mentoring schemeUL’s 2006-2011 strategic plan included an objective to “ensure that all faculty and staff are enabled to achieve their full potential through valuing diversity and equality of opportunity”. A mentoring scheme was put in place to improve gender representation at promotional levels, which was poor in 2006. Since the inception of the scheme, there have been close to 100 successfully matched pairs. Of the 64 trained mentors, 26 are from STEMM and range in levels from professor to lecturer.

Table 4.11 Summary data on mentors by faculty and gender

Breakdown by faculty Number of mentors Males Females

Number of mentors in EHS 12 6 6

Number of mentors in S&E 14 8 6

Total number of mentors in STEMM 26 14 12

Of the matched pairs since the mentoring scheme began, 44 mentees are from STEMM.

Table 4.12 Summary data on mentees by faculty and gender

Breakdown by faculty Number of mentees Male Female

Number of mentees in EHS 26 4 22

Number of mentees in S&E 18 6 12

Total number of mentees in STEMM 44 10 34

While the focus in the past two years has been on developing coaching support for research staff, a comprehensive review of the mentoring scheme will be undertaken in 2015.

Action 4.23:Undertake a comprehensive review of the mentoring scheme.


Research coaching programme Initiated in 2014, the research coaching scheme aims to increase research outputs, particularly in STEMM. The scheme brings together those involved in research (academics and researchers) for the purpose of sharing experiences and providing guidance on journal publications, books, research grants and other outputs. All coaches and coachees are provided with training.

A total of 35 employees (27 females and 8 males) have availed of the coaching programme to date. Thirteen of the females were from STEMM: seven from S&E and six from EHS. The 24 senior academic staff who participated as coaches includes 14 males and 10 females. The aim of the programme is to encourage more females to apply for promotion and for more females in STEMM to be promoted.

Table 4.13 Number of staff availing of coaching

Total Male Female STEMM

35 8 27 13 female

Table 4.14 Number of coaches within STEMM by gender

Number of coaches in STEMM Male Female

24 14 10

Action 4.24:Undertake a review of the research coaching scheme to determine its effectiveness.

Springboard Personal and Career Development Programme for WomenFirst offered in 2009, 96 administrative, research and academic female members of staff have undertaken this programme, which comprises four one-day workshops delivered over three months.

4.3 Flexible working and managing career breaks(i) Cover and support for maternity and adoption leaveAcademic and research staff are entitled to six months’ paid maternity leave regardless of contract status. While academic staff are replaced while on maternity leave, research staff are not. This is a key area of concern for the institution (Action 4.25).

Table 4.15 Number of full-time and part-time staff taking maternity leave by staff group

2012 2013 2014

Full-time Part-time Full-time Part-time Full-time Part-time

All staff 42 7 40 7 44 1

Academic staff 12 4 17 2 14 0

Support staff 30 3 23 5 30 1

STEMM (EHS and S&E) 7 4 7 2 9 0


Non-STEMM (AHSS & KBS) 5 0 9 0 5 0

Table 4.16 Length of maternity leave by staff group

2012 2013 2014

>=6 months

<6 months

>=6 months

<6 months

>=6 months

<6 months

All staff 45 4 41 6 42 3





Table 4.17 Number of full-time and part-time staff taking unpaid maternity leave by staff group

2012 2013 2014

Full-time Part-time Full-time Part-time Full-time Part-time

All staff 13 1 7 3 19 1





(ii) Maternity return rate All staff return from maternity leave. While some avail of extended unpaid leave, others return following statutory paid leave. We do not see any pattern from any area of staff availing of unpaid leave within STEMM. Supporting staff who return from maternity leave is a key priority for the institution, hence the intention to implement a research grant for returning academic carers (Action 4.13).

Action 4.25:Put in place a system that ensures research staff members are replaced while on maternity leave in cases where funding bodies do not provide the funds to cover the leave.

Action 4.26:Support staff returning from maternity leave by employing questionnaires and/or focus groups to explore how to effectively manage the transition back to work and beyond.

(iii) Paternity, adoption and parental leave uptakeUL complies with the terms and provisions of the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2006. Each qualifying parent is entitled to 18 weeks’ parental leave per child. Parental leave may only be availed of in line with the needs of the department, faculty or division and in keeping with the terms outlined in regulations. A provision of the Act is the extension of parental leave entitlements to persons acting in loco parentis in respect of an eligible child.

Table 4.18 Number of STEMM vs. non-STEMM parental leave uptake

2012 2013 2014

Non-STEMM (AHSS & KBS) 0 1 0

STEMM (S&E & EHS) 11 5 7


Grand total 11 6 7

Adoptive leave Adoptive leave is available to qualifying employees in accordance with the Adoptive Leave Act 2005.

Paternity leave Eligible employees are entitled to three days’ paid leave to be taken at the time of the birth or adoption of their son/daughter or up to four weeks thereafter. Take-up of paternity leave, while high, is not formally tracked.

(iv) Flexible working OptionsFlexible working is available to staff who wish to avail of it. Options include part-time work, job sharing, flexitime and the shorter working year scheme. Employees must work during the standard core times of 10h00 to 12h30 and 14h30 to 16h30. Academic and technical staff operate a flexitime system at local level, which provides for attendance at scheduled meetings and adherence to their teaching schedule.

Table 4.19 Number of STEMM vs. non-STEMM on flexi-time: administrative/technical

2013 2014 Grand total

Non-STEMM (KBS & AHSS) 0 2 2STEMM (S&E & EHS) 20 19 39Grand total 20 21 41

Professional development leaveUL has a clear policy of encouraging academic staff to avail of professional development leave for uninterrupted time for research or scholarship. Opportunities for professional development leave include sabbatical leave, special research leave and unpaid professional leave. Sabbatical leave is taken outside Ireland and special research leave is taken within Ireland.

Table 4.20 Number of academic staff availing of sabbatical by faculty and gender

Management unit Year Female Male Grand total

Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (AHSS) 2012 6 3 9

2013 3 4 72014 1 1 2

Kemmy Business School (KBS) 2012 2 1 32013 1 1 22014 0 1 1



Education & Health Sciences (EHS) 2012 4 2 62013 2 3 5

Science & Engineering (S&E) 2012 2 2 42013 0 3 3

Grand total 21 21 42

Career breaks The career break policy provides new job opportunities and facilitates staff who wish to take career breaks. Career breaks that comprise special leave without pay are for a period of not less than one year and not more than five years. A career break may be allowed for most purposes, including further education, domestic responsibilities, travel abroad, employment abroad and starting a business.

Table 4.21 Number of academic/research staff availing of career breaks by faculty and gender

Faculty/Division Year Female Male Grand total

Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences 2012 1 1 22013 0 1 1

Education & Health Sciences 2012 2 0 22013 3 1 42014 1 0 1

Irish World Academy of Music & Dance 2014 1 0 1Kemmy Business School 2014 0 1 1Science & Engineering 2012 3 0 3

2013 3 1 42014 0 3 3

Grand total 14 8 22

Action 4.27:Monitor career break processes.

Action 4.28:Review the sabbatical leave policy to ensure that no bias exists. Promote a researches’ leave policy that offers options for staying in Ireland and UL.

4.4 Organisation and culture(i) Proportion of heads of school/faculty/department by gender The small proportion of female senior managers and heads of department (HoD) remains a challenge, particularly in S&E where there is one female HoD out of 10. While the gender balance is better in the EHS & AHSS faculties, it is somewhat of a concern in the KBS. The HoD appointment process was revised in 2014. HoD posts are now openly advertised to all staff members, and the period of appointment has been extended from three to five years with the facility to be re-appointed. UL anticipates that, in conjunction with leadership development, the Athena SWAN initiative and actions from the self-analysis will improve female representation in senior management and HoD roles, particularly in S&E.

Table 4.22 Heads of department by gender, 2014/15

Faculty Number of departments Male Female


http://www.ul.ie/hr/sites/default/files/docs/Policies%2C%20Procedures%20and%20Forms/Career%20Leave.doc

Education & Health Sciences (EHS) 6 3 3

Science & Engineering (S&E) 10 9 1

Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (AHSS) 7 3 4

Kemmy Business School (KBS) 4 3 1

(ii) Gender balance at senior management UL operates under the aegis of the Universities Act 1997. Overall authority for the affairs of the university is vested by the State in the Governing Authority, a 34-member body that is appointed in accordance with the Act.

Table 4.23 Membership of Governing Authority by gender, 2015

Year Total Male Female

2013 34 26 8

2014 34 22 12

2015 34 26 8 In 2014 all UL Student Union (SU) officials were females as was the Mayor of Limerick. The Executive Committee is the senior management committee with responsibility for developing strategic policies and procedures and monitoring corporate performance and operational efficiency.

Table 4.24 Membership of Executive Committee by gender


2013 9 7 2

2014 9 7 2

2015 9 7 2

Management Council is the next line of management; its members report directly to the President, vice presidents, deans and/or directors.

Table 4.25 Membership of Management Council by gender


2013 67 41 26

2014 67 41 26

2015 66 43 23

While we aim for full gender equality, especially at senior level, we are pleased to reflect that current female representation on the most senior decision-making committees (23% to 35%) is above trends in Ireland, where women make up just 10.5% of board members of the largest publicly listed companies in the country.


(iii) Representation of men and women on committees Academic CouncilMembers of Academic Council are appointed for a period of five years. Members include the President (chair), Vice President Academic & Registrar, deans, heads of academic departments, the UL librarian, nominated officers of the university, Students’ Union officers and at least two elected members of each faculty.

Table 4.26 Membership of Academic Council by gender, 2013-2015


2013 63 39 24

2014 65 37 28

2015 66 42 24

The Scheduling Review CommitteeThe Scheduling Review Committee makes recommendations on academic programmes and modules from a scheduling perspective. Chaired by the Director of Student Affairs, its members include the Vice President Academic & Registrar, the Student Academic Administration officer and representatives of the four faculties, Buildings & Estates and Student Affairs.

Table 4.27 Scheduling Review Committee by gender, 2015

Total Male Female

17 8 9

Faculty committees Each faculty has a faculty board, management committee, course directors committee, research committee and research ethics committee. S&E also has a marketing committee.

Faculty management committeesThe EHS and S&E management committees comprise HoDs, the Assistant Dean Academic Affairs (ADAA), the Assistant Dean Research (ADR) and the faculty manager. The three research institute directors are also members of the S&E Management Committee.

Table 4.28 STEMM faculty management committees by gender, 2015

EHS Management Committee Male Female

EHS Management Committee (10) 5 5

S&E Management Committee (18) 16 2

STEMM faculties total (28) 21 7

Faculty boardsEach faculty board is chaired by the dean and includes lecturers below the bar and higher grades who hold contracts of at least 12 months, all adjunct professors, one academic representative from each of the other UL faculty boards, the faculty manager, the faculty Cooperative Education manager and the faculty librarian.


Table 4.29 Faculty boards (STEMM) by gender, 2015Faculty board membership Total Male Female

EHS 143 53 90

S&E 198 158 40

S&E and EHS research committeesTable 4.30 STEMM research committees by gender, 2015

Research committees Male Female

EHS Research Committee (11) 6 5

S&E Research Committee (11) 9 2

Total 22 15 7

The EHS and S&E research committee each has 11 members. The S&E Research Committee includes the ADR (chair) and representatives from each of the faculty’s 10 academic departments. Faculty members are invited to express an interest in the role and are nominated by their HoD. HoDs need to question the selection process within their departments to see why more females (currently two out of 11) are not serving on the S&E Research Committee. See Action 4.31.

Course directors Course directors are selected by HoDs and serve for three years. The low number of female course directors on S&E programmes needs to be addressed. As is the case with the S&E Research Committee, S&E HoDs need to look at the selection process within their departments and question why more females are not serving as course directors (Action 4.31).

Table 4.31 STEMM course directors by gender, 2015

Course directors Male Female

14 UG (EHS)36 UG (S&E)

328

118

41 PG (EHS)44 PG (S&E)

938

146

6 IF 3 S&E1 EHS1 S&E & 1 AHSS

34 PG 5 EHS28 EHS1 IWAMD

7 INF & PG 2EHS2 S&E

2 EHS1 IWAMD

Key: UG = undergraduate programmes; PG = postgraduate programmes; INF = interfaculty programmes

Research ethics committees Interested academics can be nominated by their HoD to represent the department on the faculty’s Research Ethics Committee for a three-year period. The chair is selected by the dean.


Table 4.32 STEMM research ethics committees by gender, 2015

Faculty Research Ethics Committee Male Female

14 (1 vacant) EHS 2 11

11 S&E 8 3

S&E Marketing CommitteeInterested S&E academics can be nominated by their HoD to represent the department on the faculty’s Marketing Committee for a three-year period. The chair is selected by the dean.

Table 4.33 S&E Marketing Committee by gender, 2015

S&E Marketing Committee Male Female

12 7 5

Action 4.29:Develop initiatives to increase the number of female HoDs in S&E. This will include ensuring that the procedures used to advertise HoD posts are gender neutral and actively encouraging females to apply.

Action 4.30:Develop initiatives to increase the number of females on key decision-making committees such as Executive Committee, Management Council and Academic Council.

Action 4.31:Develop initiatives to increase the number of females who act as S&E course directors and also initiatives to increase the representation of females on the S&E Management Committee, Research Committee and Research Ethics Committee.

(iv) Workload allocation UL’s workload allocation policy (WAP) establishes basic principles for the fair, equitable and balanced distribution of work among academic staff. The policy provides HoDs and deans with a framework within which models for workload planning can be developed and operated. Hours of work are not specified within the employment contract for academic staff, which allows for flexibility within the 40-hour week. The policy states that workloads should be “contained within socially acceptable working hours” (Section 3.1 (ii)). Pastoral, administrative and outreach responsibilities are taken into account at appraisal and in promotion criteria, and weightings are attached to teaching, research and service. To demonstrate transparency, workload scores are computed for each individual at department level.

UL does not have a uniform, campus-wide workload allocation model; a standard system would help to make the allocation of work more transparent and equitable across the university as a whole.

Action 4.32:Review and evaluate the implementation of the WAP. Identify if a gap exists between policy and practice. Integrate the WAP with an e-performance system to ensure greater transparency of workloads.

(v) Timing of meetings and social gatherings The core working hours for administrative staff are 10h00 to 12h30 and 14h30 to 16h30. Academic and research staff must attend scheduled meetings and teach timetabled classes. University of Limerick, Athena SWAN Bronze Award Application, April 2015 47 | P a g e

Action 4.33:Review flexibility around teaching timetabling and address the academic scheduling constraints of the system.

Action 4.34:Review the flexible working/job-sharing policy for academics/researchers. Clarify the policy on staff availing of part-time working being able to return to full-time working at a later stage.

Action 4.35:Gather statistics on the timing of faculty and research group meetings.

Action 4.36:Champion a working environment that promotes a positive work-life balance.

(vi) Visibility of women as role models Since 2007, the Women’s Forum Events Committee has organised a campus-based International Women’s Day conference that features high-profile academic and professional females. Sponsored by HR, the conference attracts large audiences from UL, other higher education institutions in Ireland and industry. Internal experts are invited to present on their areas of expertise, such as Professor Pat O’Connor, who has campaigned in Ireland for the provision of gender-based statistics to the sector, and Professor Sibel Erduran, the only STEM education chair in Ireland. Athena SWAN was launched in UL at the 2015 International Women’s Day conference. The 190 male and female participants comprised academic, research, support and technical members of UL staff and external delegates.

Action 4.37:Ensure that female students have role models in the form of female academic staff members who serve as heads of departments, assistant deans, deans, external examiners and invited seminar speakers.

(vii) Childcare The UL crèche is open to staff and students. Information about the crèche is communicated to staff when they are appointed and at induction.

A mother and baby room is available to breastfeeding mothers and for pregnant staff who wish to rest for a short period during the day.

(viii) Outreach activities Outreach is part of the academic workload, and members of staff are expected to contribute. We have a range of programmes targeted at schools and the local community to help raise the profile of STEMM. Over the past three years, 27,259 primary and post-primary pupils – 14,035 boys and 13,224 girls – engaged in STEMM outreach activities. Table 4.34 sets out the wide range of activities undertaken to attract schoolgirls to study STEMM subjects and to consider STEMM careers. Activities specifically targeted at females include organised visits to all-girls schools, the provision of Scratch Teacher Training in a number of all-girls schools and facilitating the Connecting Women in Technology GIFTed Group.

To recognise the importance of female role models, a number of events, including seven inaugural lectures from our top female STEMM academics since 2011, are organised to raise the profile of female academics within STEMM departments. All dedicated outreach positions within UL research centres are currently held by females (Ms Clare McInerney (www.lero.ie), Dr Sarah Hayes (www.sspc.ie) and Dr Norah Patten (www.icomp.ie)). UL hosts EPI-STEM, the National Centre for STEM Education (www.epistem.ie). The Chair of


http://www.epistem.ie/

http://www.icomp.ie/

http://www.sspc.ie/

http://www.lero.ie/

EPI-STEM is Professor Sibel Erduran, and nine of the centre’s 10 full-time members of staff are female. Outreach is a key aspect of EPI-STEM.

UL is very aware of the unintended consequences of depending on the same female role models to undertake promotional/outreach activities. STEMM deans, HoDs and professors will consider ways to minimise these consequences, including developing case studies to showcase the achievements of female STEMM staff and graduates.

Action 4.38:Through consultation, identify a number of initiatives that will provide schoolgirls with the opportunity to see the range of successful careers women can have by choosing STEMM subjects.

UL researchers have examined career and subject choice among pupils at primary and post-primary school, and targeted outreach activities have been developed to promote STEMM among pupils, teachers and the wider community. Initiatives are delivered to pupils at times when they are likely to have the most impact. Through our Science Hub initiative, girls are specifically targeted, particularly from low socio-economic backgrounds. Sixth-year pupils are targeted before they make choices for college.

Other outreach activities that encourage female participation include the President’s Volunteer Programme (which involves 250 undergraduate S&E students delivering voluntary tuition in maths, science, engineering and technology to local disadvantaged second-level students); Science Week & Community Day; S&E Scholarship Programme; Lero (Irish Software Research Centre) outreach programme; SSPC (Synthesis & Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre) outreach programme; Mallow Maths & Science Fair, organised by EPI-STEM; Celebrate Science; Medical School Teddy Bear Hospital; UL Special Mathematics Examination; and Junior Cycle Short Course.

Funded by NSF (National Science Foundation) and the Wellcome Trust, Science Learning+ is a collaborative initiative recently established by EPI-STEM to develop a coherent STEMM experience. Identity – in particular gender identity – is a key component of the scheme. UL, the only Irish university funded under Science Learning+, received US$115,000 for the first phase of the scheme.

Table 4.34 Summary of outreach activities

Year Event Audience Male volunteers

Female volunteers

Male participant

sFemales

participants

2012/13

S&E graduate career information evenings (11 events)

Post-primary school pupils, parents and general public

24 17 416 179

2012/13

UL honours maths help desk

Post-primary school pupils 5 8 65 77

Jun-13 S&E summer camps Post-primary school pupils 30 11 81 36

2013/14

S&E graduate career information evenings (12 events)


30 11 455 195

2013/14



2013/14

Science Hub (weekly event) Primary school 3 3 4 9

Oct-13 Mallow Maths and Science Fair General public 0 1 2000 2000

Oct-13 ChemEd Conference Post-primary science/chemistry

0 1 20 64


http://www.ulpva.ie/

http://www.ulpva.ie/


Female volunteers

Male participant

sFemales

participants

teachers

Nov-13 S&E ‘The Only Way Is Up’ space talk


Nov 13Exploring Forces: Using a Hovercraft and Explosive Rockets

Primary and post-primary schools 1 3 314 181

Nov 13 Engineers Smart Futures roadshow Post-primary schools 1 3 42 41

Nov 13 Cosmic Explorers: Journey to Mars


Nov 13Intel Ireland and UL Technology of Tomorrow public exhibition

Primary and post-primary schools and general public

6 2 350 250

Nov 13Analog Devices and UL: Connecting Tomorrow’s Universe

Post-primary schools 2 3 130 120

Nov 13Analog Devices and UL: Technology Driving the Future


Nov 13Science week public lecture: The Human Body – the Ultimate Machine

General public 2 3 140 80

Nov-13Junior Achievement Brain Power workshop x 2

Primary school 0 3 100 110

Nov-13Junior Achievement Carbon Monoxide workshop x 2


Nov-13Junior Achievement Crime Busting workshop x 2


Nov-13 Science Week Science Magic Show Primary school 0 2 150 153

Nov-13Outreach training for students for junior achievement volunteering

Third-level students 0 2 3 3

Nov-13 SSPC Movie in the Market General public 3 4 150 150

Jan-14 BT Young Scientist competition

Primary and post-primary schools/general public

13 8 unknown unknown

Feb-14 Postgraduate careers fair Third-level students 0 1 100 100

Feb-14 Engineers TY work placement


Feb 14 Engineers Week schools show


Feb-14 Career Zoo General public 0 1

Mar-14Irish Science Teachers Association annual conference

Primary and post-primary school science teachers

0 1 35 84

May-14 SciFest Post-primary school pupils and teachers 0 1 140 140



Female volunteers

Male participant

sFemales

participants

May-14 SMART FUTURES event


May-14 Mallow SMART Careers poster competition

Primary and post-primary school pupils 0 1 160 180

May-14 Listowel Writers Festival Primary school 1 1 85 57

Jun-14 UL Science & Eng. summer camps


Jun-14Chemistry/Science Demonstration residential workshop

Post-primary school science teachers 4 2 0 14

Jul-14 Innovation in Medicines residential workshop

Post-primary school teachers 0 1 2 4

2014/15

S+E graduate career information evenings (9 events to date)


27 8 350 153

2014/15



Aug-14 SFI SMART FUTURES training Third-level students 0 2 9 7

Sep-14 SMART FUTURES school visits (x 2)


Oct-14 National Crystal Growing Competition

Primary and post-primary school pupils 0 1 20 20

Oct-14 ChemEd ConferencePost-primary science/chemistry teachers

0 1 20 60

Oct-14 Mallow Maths and Science Fair General public 0 2 2000 2000

Nov-14 SMART FUTURES careers event Athlone


Nov-14 SMART FUTURES careers event Limerick

Post-primary school pupils 1 3 153

Nov-14Celebrate Science for Science Week Science Busking


Nov-14Celebrate Science for Science Week Science Fair


Nov-14Celebrate Science for Science Week Public Science


Nov-14Celebrate Science for Science Week Science Fair Cork


Nov-14Celebrate Science for Science Week Science Magic Show Cork

General Public 2 1 240 240

Nov-14 Science Week Science Magic Show Primary school 0 3 140 127

Nov-14 Mad Professor Science Show


Nov 14 XTRA-Ordinary Science Show


Nov 14‘Head Games’ Psychology schools event




Female volunteers

Male participant

sFemales

participants

Nov-14Cosmic Explorers: A Journey to Mars interactive show


Feb-15 Transition Year work experience placement


Feb-15 Postgraduate careers fair Third-level students 0 1 100 120

Feb-15 Connecting Women in Technology Post-primary schools 5 1 0 24

Feb-15CanSat Mini Rocket competition with Laurel Hill all-girls school


(ix) HR policies All staff must attend dignity and respect training. Since 2006, over 1,500 employees (of whom 327 were STEMM females) have been trained on UL’s dignity and respect policies. Policies are updated on the HR website, and changes are communicated directly to staff by email.

The LEAD programme can be accessed from the HR website. Comprising five core modules that cover understanding diversity, how it relates to oneself, compliance to commitment, recruitment and selection, and dignity and respect, the programme is relevant to all staff but particularly to those with responsibility for recruitment.

As part of the application for the HR Excellence in Research award from the European Commission in 2013, we carried out an internal analysis that compared institutional practices with the Charter & Code principles and subsequently devised the HRS4R action plan. Retaining the award depends on performing satisfactorily at two-yearly self-assessment and four-yearly external audits.

Words: 4,946/4,500


http://www.ul.ie/hr/sites/default/files/University%20of%20Limerick%20-%20HRS4R%20Action%20Plan.xls

http://www.ul.ie/hr/sites/default/files/University%20of%20Limerick%20-%20HRS4R%20Action%20Plan.xls

http://www.ul.ie/hr/

http://www.ul.ie/hr/sites/default/files/POLICY%20AND%20PROCEDURES%20FOR%20WORKPLACE%20DIGNITY%20AND%20RESPECT.pdf

5. Any other comments The actions set out in this submission are challenging, to say the least, and require commitment, resources and dedication of management and staff throughout the institution. However, we are confident that the actions and challenges can be achieved. While realising the enormity of the task, our confidence stems from UL’s track record of success in researching and promoting gender equality over the last decade. UL has successfully competed for funding for strategic gender projects such as The Atlantic Philanthropies fund (2005–2008), Science Foundation Ireland Gender Project 2008, the Equality Authority 2011, Female Empowerment in Science and Technology in Academia (EU FP7 2012–2017) and Gender Equality in Decision Making (EU-PROGRESS 2014-2016). The actions and challenges set out in this submission will build on work that is both already complete and currently underway.

The table below presents the percentage of males and females at academic grades from 2006 to 2015. During that time, we have seen the number of females at our most senior level (Professor) increase from 8% to 31% ahead of the national average of 19% (22% UK average).

Table 5.1 Female representation across academic grades, 2006 to 2015Grade 2006 2015

Male Female Male Female

Professor 92% 8% 69% 31%

Associate Professor 94% 6% 81% 19%

Senior Lecturer 83% 17% 61% 39%

Lecturer 58% 42% 47% 53%

However, we acknowledge that we have considerable work to do to achieve gender balance across most academic grades (Professor, Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer), research grades and students in STEMM disciplines. A staff survey across all grades was completed at the end of March. The final results are not available and so are not included in this submission. However, the preliminary results indicate a number of issues that are relevant to female staff. Permanent staff working part-time are the group faced with the highest level of stressors in the institution; female staff make up the majority of permanent part-time staff. Other preliminary findings indicate that sense of purpose and strain on psychological health are issues for female staff.

Furthermore, the key priorities of the new strategic plan (2015–2019) include commitments to Athena Swan and staff development.

Action 5.1Implement the key gender-related findings from the 2015 staff survey.

The UL Lonsdale Building is named after scientist Dame Kathleen Lonsdale (1903–1971). On women in science, Dame Lonsdale wrote:

“Any country that wants to make full use of all its potential scientists and technologists could do so, but it must not expect to get the women quite so simply as it gets the men. It seems to me that marriage and motherhood are at least as socially important as military service. Government regulations are framed to


ensure (in the United Kingdom) that a man returning to work from military service is not penalized by his absence. Is it Utopian, then, to suggest that any country that really wants married women to return to a scientific career when her children no longer need her physical presence should make special arrangements to encourage her to do so?”

With this in mind, we are committed to the challenge of equal gender representation in STEMM disciplines and throughout the institution and commit to the necessary actions so all staff can achieve their full potential.

Words: 488/500


6. University of Limerick Athena SWAN action plan

# Action Description of action Responsibility Start date Target date Success measure

Embedding Athena SWAN at UL

2.1 Continue to evaluate gender balance and monitor the action plan.

The ASSC will continue to meet and monitor the action plan on a quarterly basis.

ASSC Chair Ongoing Ongoing AS embedded in the institution. Targets set and agreed for department submissions. Action items delivered.

Create and disseminate and annual progress report.

Annual progress report presented to the ASSC, AS SATs, EC and GA.

ASSC, HR June 2016 Annually Improvement measures tracked and delivered upon. Realistic achievable targets in place.

2.2 Establish Athena SWAN departmental working groups.

Establish AS working groups in all STEMM departments.

EHS and S&E deans, HoDs, SATs

Oct. 2014 (WIP)

Ongoing Regular monthly meetings.Regular review of action items and oversight of implementation at departmental level.

2.3 Support departments to apply for AS awards.

ASSC will provide support to SATs and STEMM department working groups in their endeavours to apply for and achieve department AS awards.

Use key gender-related performance indicators to strengthen departmental applications to AS.

Deans EHS & S&E, ASCo-ordinator, HoDs, SATs and departmental working groups

Ongoing Ongoing Plan agreed and in place

A five-year plan will be agreed within STEMM for achieving department awards.

Deans EHS & S&E, ASCo-ordinator

Ongoing Ongoing KPIs monitored and refined by departmental focus group

2.4 Have Athena SWAN as a permanent agenda item on

Faculty board meetings making explicit reference to

Deans EHS and S&E

Aug. 2015 Ongoing Successful embedding of AS principles and action


# Action Description of action Responsibility Start date Target date Success measurefaculty board, department and research centre meetings.

and discussion about AS and its principles

items within faculty boards (which meet 4 times per academic year)

2.5 Raise campus-wide awareness of gender equality issues and embed AS in UL.

Ongoing events to raise levels of gender equality.Work with UL’s communications function to ensure AS activities are publicised.

Director HR, ASCo-ordinator, ASSC, Corporate Affairs

Oct. 2015 Annually Active participation by STEMM staff at events as presenters,co-ordinators and audience

Host an annual Women in Science (WIS) symposium.

Deans, Director HR, VPR

March 2016

Ongoing Successful annual event featuring high-profile female STEMM speaker

Monitor to ensure female representation

Deans, HoDs, course directors

Sept. 2015 Ongoing Higher female intake to STEMM subjects

Female academics to discuss career progression with younger women (UG level)

Corporate Affairs, ASSC

June 2015 Review in May 2016

Schedule of events in place

2.6 Review publicity in websites, programme literature, etc. to ensure both genders are reflected.

Where there is an under-representation of female students and staff, review processes to ensure females are seen as academic role models through the use of the web etc.

Deans, HoDs and course directors in STEMM

June 2015 Review in May 2016

Increased female representation in marketing activities and intake

2.7 Establish a high-profile annual AS scholarship for Leaving Certificate students to STEMM programmes that have low numbers of females.

Establish bursary and advertise

President, VPAR, VPR, deans

Jan 2016 Review Annually

High-profile and increased number of female applicants to STEMM

2.7 Fund a recurring PhD studentship within STEMM.

Provision of annual bursary President, VPAR, VPR, deans

Jan 2016 Review annually

Identify issues relating to female success and progression in STEMM


# Action Description of action Responsibility Start date Target date Success measuredepartments

2.8 Conduct focus groups with female undergraduate and postgraduate students and female academics to identify and monitor attitudes and experiences and to gather information on the experiences of women in science and, in particular, any perceived barriers to progression.

Identify and monitor attitudes and experiences

Deans, HoDs and course directors in STEMM

Sept. 2015 Review in May 2016

At least two focus groups conducted annually

2.9 Establish an Athena SWAN network and cross-functional networks.

Bring together members of both AS SATs to set up an Athena SWAN network. Identify a space for the cross-functional networks.

AS SATs June 2015 Review annually

Active AS networks in place

Data and supporting evidence

3.1 Create a data bank of staff statistics that is easily accessible to STEMM departments when applying for Athena SWAN awards.

Create Business Intelligence reports within Core HR and make available to faculty managers, deans and HoDs. Further investigate career progression by gender; further analyse promotion and recruitment data, selection boards/panels and pay gap and contract type.

HR Jan. 2016 Ongoing Valuable up-to-date data easily accessible

3.2 Examine promotional timeframes between male and female staff within the institution with a particular emphasis on the STEMM

Review promotional timeframes between male and female staff within UL, particularly within STEMM subject areas.

STEMM depts, faculty SATs

Sept. 2015 Ongoing but revised annually in the form of a report

Increasing percentage of female academic staff progressing to lecturer, SL, associate professor and professor


# Action Description of action Responsibility Start date Target date Success measuresubject areas.

3.3 Undertake a comprehensive pay gap analysis, ensuring anonymity.

Undertake a detailed pay gap analysis, including reviewing the length of time women remain at the top of their grades.

HR, HoDs, deans Dec. 2015 June 2016 Pay gap analysis undertaken

3.4 Examine data relating to women in casual labour and CID situations.

Devise a strategy for fuller integration of women employed in casual labour contracts or CIDs into structured career paths.

HR, HoDs, deans June 2016 Dec. 2016 Detailed analysis available on contract staff with clearly defined actions

Key career transition points: recruitment, induction and review

4.1 Publicise the university’s membership of AS in STEMM job advertisements and on UL’s e-recruitment webpage.

Include explicit statements on commitment to AS principles in UL recruitment packages and advertisements.

Director HR From Aug. 2015

Ongoing University-wide roll-out of advertisements and recruitment packages with AS statements

4.2 Following on from the research undertake by the EU FESTA project, set up a working group to examine ways to generate more female applicants to STEMM departments andeview UL’s recruitment procedures to ensure they pose no obstacles to the recruitment and appointment of female applicants in STEMM.

Establish working groups within EHS and S&E to examine ways of generating more female applicants to STEMM, to carry out a review of recruitment procedures to ensure no obstacles exist for female applicants, to gather statistics and analyse data and to make recommendations for action, where appropriate.

Deans EHS and S&E, HR, ASSC

Sept. 2015 April 2016 Increased female applicant pool. Increased representation of females in under-represented departments. Thorough review undertaken and improvements implemented.

4.3 Gender-proof the language used in job descriptions.

Provide training on the use of gender-sensitive language to deans, HoDs and others who prepare job descriptions.

HR, deans, project leaders,faculty managers, etc.

Sept. 2015 Review annually

Increased success rate of female applications to STEMM positions


# Action Description of action Responsibility Start date Target date Success measure4.4 Review interview-skills training

for selection board members, including training on unconscious bias and the LEAD e-learning programme.

Require all selection board members to undertake the online unconscious bias training programme.Improve the LEAD online programme to include further examples of subtle and unconscious discrimination.

HR From April 2015

Ongoing All selection board and promotions board members will have unconscious bias training completed prior to sitting on boards.

4.5 Review the composition of selection boards and promotions panels. Aim to achieve a 30% gender representation on all panels. Monitor the success rate of female applicants as the gender ratio of boards changes.

Review recruitment and promotions policies and procedures to bring in line with 30% gender representation.

EC, HR June 2015 Dec. 2015 Selection and promotions panel compositions tracked and target achieved.

4.6 Review staff induction processes at institutional, faculty, STEMM and non-STEMM departmental levels.

Review to include the experiences of recent appointees and complete a gender analysis of their experiences at all levels of induction.

HR, deans, faculty managers, HoDs

Sept. 2015 Sept. 2016 Effective induction taking place at all levels

4.7 Conduct a review of the PDRS and evaluate how it could be linked to a workload allocation model.

Overhaul the PDRS. Set up-skilling training targets. Set realistic incremental goals, endure that reviewers give informed feedback regarding performance with a view to developing a transparent incremental route to promotion. Improve PDRS effectiveness and address the disconnect between the PDRS

HODs, line managers

Jan. 2016 June 2017 An effective online PDRS linked to the workload model in place


# Action Description of action Responsibility Start date Target date Success measureand the workload model.

Key career transition points: promotion

4.8 Undertake focus groups with female academic staff to ascertain why more females do not put themselves forward for promotion.

Provide additional female-only promotional workshops. Increase the number of females in STEMM availing of mentoring/coaching.

Deans, HoDs, HR, PIs

Sept. 2015 Ongoing Increase in the number of females applying for and successfully achieving promotion

4.9 Review the research job evaluation/progression process for female applicants.

Promote and create awareness of the job evaluation process for UL researchers.

Deans, HR May 2015 Ongoing More female researchers submitting job evaluation applications.

4.10 Review promotion assessment guidelines to ensure that cognisance is taken of periods of leave taken by applicants.

Include in the instructions to the UPB a section on individual staff circumstances that takes cognisance of periods of leave taken by applicants when assessing applications. Due weight is to be given to individual circumstances that may have significantly constrained a candidate’s opportunity to participate fully in the expected range of activities that are expected of an appointee seeking promotion. Circumstances where individuals may have fewer outputs include absence from work due to working part-time, qualifying periods of maternity or adoption leave, ill health or injury and other leave relating

Deans, HoDs, HR Dec. 2015 March 2016 Process in place to formally recognise gaps in research outputs resulting from maternity or careers leave


# Action Description of action Responsibility Start date Target date Success measureto caring responsibilities (such as caring for an elderly or family member with a disability).

4.11 Extend the facility for interim reviews to all academic promotions over a three-year time frame.

Extend the availability of interim reviews to all promotions

Deans, HoDs, HR May 2015 Jan. 2018 Interim reviews available to all promotions from LBTB to Associate Professor.

4.12 Encourage all applicants who have been successful in seeking progression across the merit bar to share their portfolios/applications openly.

Put a process in place that encourages successful progression applicants to make their applications available to others.

HR April 2015 Review annually

Successful applications openly available

4.13 Implement a research grant for returning academic carers.

Finalise the development of the research grant for returning academic carers policy, which will support staff in re-establishing their independent research careers on return from extended leave (20 weeks or more) for reasons connected to caring.

EC, HR April 2015 Sept. 2015 Returners leave policy in place and female staff in STEMM availing of the opportunity to use it

Supporting and advancing women’s careers – career development

4.14 Implement annual career development programmes for mid-career female academic/research staff in STEMM.

2 further programmes offered in 2016 and 2017

HR, deans Jan. 2016 Dec. 2017 Increased uptake of the programmes by STEMM females

4.15 Run two further Women in Leadership programmes. Sponsor 12 female participants (8 from STEMM) on the Aurora

Eight STEMM and four non-STEMM females to undertake the programme annually

Deans, HoDs, HR Jan. 2016 Annually Increase in number of females applying for promotion and succeeding


# Action Description of action Responsibility Start date Target date Success measureprogramme annually.

4.16 Promote strategic career development for female staff and continue to offer ongoing professional development programmes.

Offer ongoing professional development programmes to STEMM that includes careers support seminars, promotions seminars, one-to-one coaching, PDRS training and research training.

HR Training, deans, HoDs, UL Research Office

Sept. 2015 Ongoing Increased participation by STEMM females in all programmes on offer

4.17 Review international research training initiatives with a view to incorporating best practice into UL initiatives. Identify creative ways to actively advertise and encourage take-up of training initiatives.

Ongoing review of programmes on offer in line with best practice.

New programmes continually on offer

Ongoing Ongoing Uptake monitored and year-on-year increase of 25% by 2018

4.18 Provide specific PI training on management, mentoring and managing post-doctoral staff.

Programmes offered and uptake increased. Develop a briefing document for PhD supervisors on topics such as the frequency of meetings and the level of support required..

Programmes designed in line with feedback received from PIs, etc.

Sept. 2015 Ongoing Briefing document developed

4.19 Provide career transitions training and support to enable post-doctoral, technical and scientific support staff to transition into wider research/project management posts.

Put in place projects that will support this process.

Deans, HoDs Jan. 2016 Dec. 2016 Greater female representation and advancement in these roles

4.20 Foster collaborative research projects across faculties and departments to support career pathways and progression.

Proactively create links to connect people in related areas to facilitate joint research projects.

UL Research Office, deans, HoDs

Jan. 2016 Ongoing Increased number of cross-functional projects.


# Action Description of action Responsibility Start date Target date Success measure4.21 Provide research-focused

workshops at institutional and departmental levels, including workshops on team management and the commercialisation of research.

Provide workshops to support female academics in managing larger research teams and deal with commercialisation of their research; train female academics in the core activities expected of HoD or research institution directors.

HR Research, UL Research Office

Sept. 2015 Ongoing Increased number of females leading departments and institutes

4.22 Complete the EU FESTA project to examine the role of women in research.

Communicate the findings of the completed FESTA project.

FESTA researcher

Sept. 2016 Project completion Jan. 2017

Key findings published

4.23 Undertake a comprehensive review of the mentoring scheme.

(i) Conduct focus groups, one-to-one interviews and a survey with mentors and mentees to ascertain satisfaction levels with the scheme. (ii) Find ways of improving the scheme. (iii) Establish if there is a link (as suggested by the literature) between career advancement and having a mentor. (iv)Examine other mentoring scheme options, such as early intervention, reverse mentoring and Ad Feminam mentoring.

AS Co-ordinator Oct. 2015 June 2016 Scheme reviewed following detailed analysis of the feedback received. New scheme launch Oct. 2016

4.24 Undertake a review of the research coaching scheme to determine the effectiveness of the programme.

Conduct a survey of those who have availed of the coaching programme to ascertain the programme’s effectiveness.

HR Research, UL Research Office

Jan. 2016 March 2016 Greater uptake of coaching by females in STEMM

Flexible working and managing career breaks


# Action Description of action Responsibility Start date Target date Success measure4.25 Put in place a system that

ensures research staff members are replaced while on maternity leave in cases where funding bodies do not provide the funds to cover the leave.

In circumstances where funding is not provided for the replacement of staff within specific research projects, replacement costs will be provided by the university.

EC, HR Sept. 2015 Jan. 2016 All research maternity leave replacement costs covered

4.26 To support staff returning from maternity leave, employ questionnaires and/or focus groups to explore how to effectively manage the transition back to work and beyond.

Examine current supports in place and explore what more could be done for staff returning from leave and what they feel might help with this transition; report the findings of this exercise.

HR Sept. 2015 Dec. 2015 A list of actionable objectives based on questionnaire/focus group feedback of returning to work/maternity leave staff

4.27 Monitor career break processes.

Support structures in place before and after planned leave, such as a HoD meeting pre- and post-leave.

HR, HoD, ASSC Sept. 2015 Ongoing Evidence of meeting and written agreed plan prior to and following the period of planned leave

4.28 Review the sabbatical leave policy to ensure that no bias exists. Promote a researches’ leave policy that offers options for staying in Ireland and UL.

Explore alternative options to sabbatical leave; review sabbatical policy to provide options for staying in Ireland.

Taskforce, ADAAs, ADRs

April 2015 April 2016 Alternatives to sabbatical (in addition to special research leave) offered to lecturers to focus on their research for a period of time

Organisation and culture – decision-making committees

4.29 Develop initiatives to increase the number of female HoDs in S&E. This will include ensuring that the procedures used to advertise HoD posts are gender neutral and actively encouraging females to apply.

Further academic leadership programmes offered directly to females in STEMM

HR, deans Jan 2017 May 2017 Increased numbers of female HoDs in STEMM departments


# Action Description of action Responsibility Start date Target date Success measure4.30 Develop initiatives to increase

the number of females on key decision-making committees such as EC, Management Council and Academic Council.

Gender-proof job specs and job adverts. Actively encourage female applicants.

EC, deans, HR Immediate Ongoing Greater representation of females on key decision-making committees.

4.31 Develop initiatives to increase the number of females who act as S&E course directors and also initiatives to increase the representation of females on the S&E Management Committee, Research Committee and Research Ethics Committee.

Undertake a review of the procedures to ensure that the procedures used to advertise the relevant S&E will be gender neutral and that the faculty will actively encourage female applicants.

Deans Sept. 2015 Dec. 2015 Revised policy in place and additional females on the decision-making committees

Organisation and culture – workload management

4.32 Review and evaluate the implementation of the WAP.

Review and evaluate the implementation of WAP.

HR, deans April 2015 Sept. 2016 Implementation of a fair and transparent WAP.

Identify if a gap exists between policy and practice.

Improve the WAP to make it more transparent and easier for managers to adopt (in PDRS and teaching/work allocations).

Taskforce April 2015 Sept. 2016 A standardised workload allocation model used across all departments.

Integrate the WAP with an e-performance system to ensure greater transparency of workloads.

Analyse relevant data on workload experiences from the recent wellness survey circulated by HR to all staff.

HR, deans,HoDs

April 2015 Sept. 2016 Improvement in workload experiences data from the next wellness survey

4.33 Review flexibility around teaching timetabling and address the academic scheduling constraints of the system.

Review to allow the full academic year to be planned and use more effective deadlines.

Director Student Affairs, HR, EC

April 2016 April 2017 A more flexible scheduling system in place


# Action Description of action Responsibility Start date Target date Success measure4.34 Review the flexible

working/job-sharing policy for academics/researchers.

Review standard core working hours.

HR, HoD, ASSC Sept. 2015 Ongoing Flexible working practices reported upon.

Clarify the policy on staff availing of part-time working being able to return to full-time working at a later stage.

Promote awareness of flexible working options.

HR, HoD, ASSC Sept. 2015 Ongoing Information sessions delivered

4.35 Gather statistics on the timing of faculty and research group meetings.

Undertake a comprehensive review of the timing of meetings in STEMM depts.

Deans, faculty managers

Oct. 2015 Dec. 2015 All faculty meetings held in core time

4.36 Champion a working environment that promotes a positive work-life balance.

Provide training to HoDs on the adequate implementation of work-life balance taskforce recommendations/WAP.

HR Sept. 2015 Ongoing Improvements in work-life balance in future wellness or work-life balance surveys

Organisation and culture – outreach

4.37 Ensure that female students have role models in the form of female academic staff members who serve as HoDs, assistant deans, deans, external examiners and invited seminar speakers.

Put a plan in place to increase the number of STEMM females who act as role models.

Deans, HoDs,course directors

Sept. 2015 Ongoing Increased number of female undergraduate STEMM students at UL

4.38 Through consultation, identify a number of initiatives that will provide schoolgirls with the opportunity to see the range of successful careers women can have by choosing STEMM subjects.

A number of case studies showcasing the achievements of female STEMM staff and graduates to be developed and utilised on the web, during open days and on visits to schools.

Deans, HoDs, professors

Sept. 2015 Ongoing Increased number of female undergraduate STEMM students at UL

A number of case studies developed that capture the range of successful careers women can have in STEMM.


# Action Description of action Responsibility Start date Target date Success measure

Staff survey gender-relating issues

5.1 Implement the key gender-related findings from the 2015 staff survey.

Conduct an analysis of the gender-related staff survey findings and agree a detailed action plan to address the issues raised.

HR, deans, HoDs June 2015 June 2016 Key issues of concern highlighted and a plan in place to address them.

Key:

ADAA Assistant Dean Academic Affairs LBB Lecturer below the BarADR Assistant Dean Research LEAD Living Equality & DiversityAS Athena SWAN PDRS Performance and Development Review SystemASSC Athena SWAN Steering Committee PI Principal investigatorCIDs Contracts of indefinite duration SATs Self-assessment teamsEC Executive Committee SL Senior lecturerFESTA Female Empowerment in Science & Technology Academia STEMM Science, technology, engineering, maths and medicineGA Governing Authority UPB University Promotions BoardHoD Head of department VPAR Vice President Academic and RegistrarHR Human Resources VPR Vice President ResearchLAB Lecturer above the Bar WIP Work in progress


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