As part of the International Women’s Day programme here at DMU we are delighted to invite you to this event.
Speaker: Ismini Vasileiou
The presentation will look into HE organisations going through the Athena SWAN submission, the outcomes and the impact it has had. EDI aspects tend to sit separately from anything else across many HE institutions. Governance and responsibility are key aspects of any successful Athena SWAN application, its future and its impact.
Dr Vasileiou has worked extensively on developing institutional governance whilst leading EDI committees and Athena SWAN applications. In recent years across the UK, notable progress has been made in the Athena SWAN agenda. Whilst many of the actions generate and improve inclusive practice for people from multiple backgrounds, the agenda does orient attention primarily towards gender equality at the expense of other specific considerations such as race/ethnicity, disability etc. The scope for proactive EDI can be extensive. A disconnect between university committee activity and expectations from schools and faculties can be present quite often. EDI structure should be consistent across each institution and EDI committees should not be feeling marginalised. Engagement of senior leadership, accountability and how to embed EDI matters into KPIs should be seen as part of the wider institutional strategy and deliverables. EDI should be embedded within 'business as usual' and the EDI KPIs should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. The presentation will address and challenge the importance of Athena SWAN, discuss the evolution and how the scheme has developed in recent years. It will offer critical reflections of the impact it can have on governance and how personal beliefs can affect and interfere with the overall objectives of schemes such as Athena SWAN. Participants can leave with a suggestive framework they can apply to their organisations in order to provoke discussions on and around equality, inclusivity, and governance.