UCL-Institute of Child Health
Athena SWAN – 20th Self-Assessment Team Meeting
6th October 2015, 2:30pm – 4:00pm, June Lloyd Room, ICH
Present:
Professor Shamima Rahman (Chair)
Professor Maria Bitner-Glindzicz
Dr Steve Hope
Ms Kathy Kennedy
Ms Wendy Knowles
Dr Philippa Mills (MADS)
Dr David Carmichael
Professor Jenny Morgan
Professor Pete Scambler
Ms Natalie Mark
Dr Andy Stoker
Dr Nikhil Thapar
Apologies:
Professor Ros Smyth (Director)
Dr Mona Bajaj-Elliott
Mr David Ho (PhD Rep)
Dr Dan Kelberman (Postdoc Rep)
Professor Gudrun Moore
Professor Jane Sowden
Dr Erin Walker
Professor Andy Copp
Ms Lydia Leon (PhD Rep),
Dr Sara Mole
Dr Ida Riccardelli (Post Doc Rep)
Ms Lara Thomas (Minutes)
1. Welcome New SAT member
Shamima Rahman welcomed Dr David Carmichael to the ICH Athena Swan SelfAssessment Team (SAT).
2. New way of organising meetings and agenda items
Shamima Rahman suggested that the monthly agenda should be created immediately after
each SAT meeting and uploaded on the S-drive and SAT members are invited to add
agenda items to which they will speak (each for a maximum of 15 mins); agendas will not be
circulated to SAT members via email prior to the meeting. This was agreed.
3. Survey
Steve Hope gave a breakdown of the survey results. A number of key points were
highlighted and discussed at the meeting. The survey subgroup will meet to process and
summarise the results of the survey prior to disseminating to all staff at ICH.
4. Feedback from IMT
Shamima expressed to the SAT that IMT was very engaged with a presentation she had
made at the meeting earlier that day and she had obtained a lot of feedback. IMT have
requested that Shamima presents an update every two months instead of every six months
as they would like to help support SAT in making the application for a gold ASWAN award.
IMT supported a proposal to appoint a Grade 8 Athena Swan support post. The post holder
will need to have project management skills in order to assist with the application.
IMT expressed considerable interest in the workload model. Maria Bitner-Glindzicz explained
the purpose and aim of a workload model to the SAT. Maria and Shamima will set up a
meeting with Ros Smyth in order to establish the plan of action for implementing a workload
model at ICH and identify what resources are available.
1 5. Communications Methods
Wendy Knowles discussed ways on how communication within ICH can be improved as
there were concerns that staff do not read all-user emails and may not even read the emails
sent by the programme managers. Philippa Mills suggested that key information should be
communicated at programme lab meetings as this might be a good opportunity to capture
the right audience. However, it was noted that not all programmes have weekly lab
meetings.
There were discussions about different communication channels that could be used within
ICH in order to ensure key messages are communicated to all staff.
It was suggested that daily key messages should appear on everyone’s computer as soon
as they switch on their computer as this might be a good way to capture staff attention.
Wendy will look into this and get back to SAT members.
6. Action Plan
Shamima presented the Athena Swan action plan.
Items coded in GREEN indicate that the action has been completed
Items coded in AMBER indicate that the action is in progress but not completed
Items coded in RED indicates work towards the action has not commenced or is at a very
early stage
Item
1.1A
1.1B
1.1C
1.1D
1.1E
1.2C
2.1A
2.1B
2.2AB
Updates and Progress
Proposed actions
completed- Nicole Hofmans
has uploaded the Swan
handbook on Athena Swan
website
Further Action
N/A
Nicole is planning to upload pictures. It was
suggested that videos should be uploaded on
the website
SAT agreed that further information about
mentoring should be uploaded on the websites.
Proposed actions completed
SAT members need to identify relevant links
that should be uploaded on the website.
Monthly SAT meetings are taking place and the
Proposed actions completed monthly Director’s bulletin is circulated to all
staff
Research Excellence Awards are being
Proposed actions completed
advertised; closing date 23rd October 2015
ICH HR are collating data
N/A
Encourage more events across all five
programmes. All programmes should call the
events ‘Programme Network events’. Shamima
Multiple programmes have
will send a reminder to all programme leads
held networking events
and inform the new PPP lead about these
events.
Proposed actions completed N/A
Ensure sufficient notice is given when meetings
Proposed actions completed
are held outside core hours and raise
Proposed actions completed
2 2.3A
Proposed actions completed
2.4A
Work in progress
2.5A
2.6A
Proposed actions completed
Proposed actions completed
2.6B
Proposed actions completed
3.1A
3.1B
Work in progress
3.3A
Proposed actions completed
3.3B
3.4A
This may already be covered
by uMentor
Proposed actions completed
3.4D & Funding for lectureship posts
3.5 E
allocated
3.5A,B
Proposed actions
completed
4.2A
Proposed actions completed
4.2C
Work in progress
4.3A
Ongoing
awareness.
Posters have been posted around the institute.
Announcements are normally included in the
Director’s bulletin and details of new starters
are published on the ICH HR website
SAT have discovered that there are six
schemes and exploring if there are national
schemes as well. Shamima confirmed that she
has created a folder on the S-Drive.
N/A
Maintain compliance
Natalie confirmed that she has made further
amendments to the checklist as suggested by
SAT members. Pete Scrambler will make some
further amendments and feedback at the next
SAT meeting. Natalie confirmed that she has
been keeping a record of all completed
checklist forms. Once SAT are happy with the
revised checklist she will re-introduce the
checklist to the programme teams.
Andy to collate data from 2014 Open Day
Wendy and Natalie confirmed that UCL rolls
out exit surveys to staff, however the
completion rate is very low. SAT suggested
that the ICH HR termination form will be a good
way to capture information.
Successful – Andy Copp has been leading the
post-doc forum.
Research overlap with existing schemes
N/A
Wendy confirmed that the business cases are
currently with the faculty.
Natalie confirmed that a survey was created
and circulated in July 2015 to the applicants
who attended the workshops. Unfortunately, no
one took part in the survey
N/A
Natalie would look into this and report back to
SAT
Maria and Shamima will meet with Ros to
establish a plan of action on how the workload
model will be implemented
7. Link for SWAN websites
8. Ideas for Beacon Activities and Beacon Bursaries
Philippa has created a return to work survey for staff returning from maternity leave.
3 To explore whether it might be possible to introduce an ICH summer camp for primary
school aged children in order to help staff with childcare arrangements during the school
summer holidays.
9. Naming Fellowship in honour of Sue Malcolm
Shamima explained that it was not agreed at SMT to have a room named in honour of the
late Professor Sue Malcolm. SMT plan to create and implement set criteria for naming
rooms, in order to ensure there is a fair process.
SAT discussed other things that could be done in honour of Professor Malcolm. It was
suggested that the top award from the Research Excellence Awards could be named in her
honour – however there were concerns as there isn’t a top award and there may be five top
awards (one award for each programme) if there are sufficient applications.
10. Equality & Diversity Training Update
Wendy updated the SAT members about the latest figures on Equality and Diversity training
uptake. Twenty-seven percent have done the online equality and diversity training whilst only
twelve people have done the online unconscious bias training so far. Figures are improving
but there is still a long way to go to reach the target of 100% completion for equality and
diversity training.
Wendy confirmed at the meeting that Faculty are planning to introduce and implement a new
policy where all staff will be required to complete the online unconscious bias training if they
sit on recruitment panels. Staff who chair recruitment panels will be required to take the
unconscious bias half day course. The Faculty will be organising additional courses in the
new year.
11. Professional Services Representation on SAT
Wendy explained that someone from a programme admin team expressed an interest in
become a SAT member and help with preparation for the gold application.
Shamima felt that it would not be appropriate to recruit additional SAT members at this time
as IMT have already expressed concerns that the current SAT membership is too big.
Wendy and Natalie are already representatives for professional services.
It was suggested that Wendy should ask for volunteers at the next professional service
admin forum and establish who would be willing able to help collate data for the gold
application.
12. A.O.B
Wendy explained that some adjustments to future SAT meeting had beeN made in order to
ensure that Ros is able to attend the meetings. New dates and times are on the intranet.
Shamima conveyed apologies that she will not be able to attend the next SAT meeting so
Jenny will be chairing the next SAT meeting on the 5th November 2015
13. Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting is currently scheduled for Thursday 5th November 2015, 2.30-4.00pm
Levinsky Room, ICH
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