Equalities & Diversity in Employment

Research into Gender Equality in Science, Engineering & Technology at the University of Bath

The University of Bath has undertaken to participate in the nationwide e-survey of medical, scientific, engineering, technical and related academic and research grade III staff. Gender Equality is important to the University and the Deputy Vice Chancellor has recently sent a memorandum to all relevant staff about the survey. All responses to the survey are anonymised.

The survey is designed to capture information about scientific, engineering, technical (SET) career pathways, the experiences, expectations and perceptions of the SET academic community on what contributes to successful career progression, and to:

• raise awareness of the issue of men's and women's career progression in SET
• illuminate differences between men's and women's experiences of SET in HE (reality and perception)
• develop the evidence base to underpin action planning, implementation and evaluation
• enable HEIs to measure their progress/benchmark it against the UK position

The survey explores the areas which previous work by Athena's partner HEIs had identified as important to career progression, the apparent differences in men's and women's career progression, what underlay the differences, and how far they relate to the organisation and culture of SET and HE. The survey aims to examine the links between participants:

• activities which may influence their career progression:
  - research and teaching
  - internal committee memberships and administrative responsibilities
  - external professional activities and contributions to professional societies
• career aspirations and expectations
• perceptions and experiences of the practices and processes that can act as a barrier to the advancement of women in SET

The survey is open until 20 November 2004.

Find out further information about this e-survey, the results of the ASSET 2003 survey and the work of Athena at http://internal.bath.ac.uk/equalities/gender/asset/.

Or contact equalsdiv@bath.ac.uk for further details about local issues.

For more about promoting Science, Engineering and Technology for Women, see http://www.set4women.gov.uk/.

Top of page