The School of Computing, Engineering and Intelligent Systems was delighted to receive the Athena SWAN Bronze Department Award in November 2015, as we are committed to ensuring an equal workplace for all.
The award acknowledges that within our School, we are working to promote gender equality for all and will address any issues within this area to ensure a transparent working environment.
Both staff and students within the School completed a self-assessment process, reviewing and reflecting on current work practices, with a three-year action plan now in place for 2016-2019.
Our main goals as part of this plan include:
- Addressing the gender imbalance in recruitment to taught courses, PhD programmes and staff positions
- Improving student engagement and encouraging staff-student partnerships
- Improving communication throughout the School and ensuring equitable workloads for all staff.
Delivering our action plan
Addressing gender imbalance in recruitment
With more male students than female currently registered at Ulster University’s School of Computing, Engineering and Intelligent Systems, we aim to redress this balance and encourage more female applicants.
Our plan is to:
- Host annual ‘Women in STEM’ undergraduate recruitment events, targeting girls in secondary schools
- Create a society for ‘Women in Technology’ for female undergraduate students to promote employability and encourage postgraduate applications
- Encourage female applicants at annual ‘Postgraduate Courses’ recruitment events
- Employ positive recruitment practices to encourage more female applicants.
Improving student engagement and encouraging staff-student partnerships
Within the School we are dedicated to improving student engagement by building relationships with our students.
Our plan is to:
- Host networking events to encourage connections between undergraduate and postgraduate students, alumni and staff
- Invite female speakers from industry and research to promote STEM opportunities
- Employ students as mentors and partners.
Improving communication and ensuring fair workloads for staff
To improve communication within the School and create a more open and transparent environment in which all staff feel actively involved.
Our plan is to:
- Actively celebrating the success of staff and students through a range of communication methods
- Implement a formal workload-allocation-model to promote transparency, using existing exemplar models within Ulster University as guidance.
- Purchase and install wall-mounted display monitors in communal spaces which will display revolving content.
Core attributes of the School of Computing, Engineering and Intelligent Systems
The School of Computing, Engineering and Intelligent Syatems has embraced a much more collaborative way of working in recent years, which we continue to build upon. As a result, our academic, research, technical and support staff can more easily respond to or discuss any issues that are of importance to the School.
We also have a tradition of our academic staff being former students of the School, which is a great endorsement and may inspire current students to return here to work.
The School of Computing, Engineering and Intelligent System further offers a flexible approach to working hours, which is particularly beneficial for staff with caring duties and long commutes.
Contact
If you have any questions about the Athena SWAN award please use the contact details below: