Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Athena Swan Action Plan - UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences (ICS)
The Silver Athena Swan award, which was granted to the Institute of Cardiovascular Science (ICS) in 2017, reflected the deep commitment of the Institute Managers, staff and students to uphold the principles of equality, diversity and inclusiveness for everyone within the Institute. However, we are also committed to working closely with colleagues within the Faculty of Population and Health Sciences and across UCL to promote and maintain the highest standards embraced by the Athena Swan charter. This has been reflected in many of the activities undertaken to achieve the action points previously laid out. However, the challenges arising as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic during 2020-21, has deeply affected many aspects of work and life balance for staff and students both locally within the Institute as well as at the University and Societial level.
During this period, the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences EDI committee worked closely with the Institute Management board and other groups to provide additional support and guidance for our staff and students. These included provision of online support for staff and students, eg. weekly drop-in sessions, Town Hall meetings and ICS / UCL support schemes. On the other hand, other action points that were in progress and were affected by recent events, will also be extended to ensure completion during the next year.
Issue Identified | Aim and proposed action | Timescale | Responsibility | Success Measure | Success achieved to date | Achievements 2021 | Extended plan (1 year) |
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THE SELF-ASSESSMENT PROCESS | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
3.1. SAT:Ìýcurrently female dominated. Student representatives will leave at the end of this academic year due to programme completion. | To expand/refresh membership with male student representative from iBSc/MSc/Phd/MD(Res) and/or male members of staff, including PS/technical staff, by engaging with: | May 2018 Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý | Ìý Ìý Ìý | Increased male representation to 50% Ìý | 39% male overall representation | Male SAT members increased (8 males; 12 females) | Continued recruitment of active male staff members |
Ìý | i. new iBSc/MSc student intakes at Induction weeks as this has proven successful in the past years | Sept 2018 | iBSc/MSc Director, SAT | ≥1 male student in the SAT | Not currently met | Ìý | New recruitment in September 2021 |
Ìý | ii. PhD/MD(Res) students and staff at get-together events through reports on past SAT activities and presentations of opportunities to join specific events/actions | Dec 2018 | AS co-chairs | ≥1 new male staff in the SAT | Target met | Ìý | Ìý |
THE DEPARTMENT | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
4.1. iBSc:more men (~75%) than women apply for this course, all registered FT, following the trend within Cardiology to attract men (80%) more than women. | To increase student numbers over the next few years and enhance the proportion of women, by reviewing our marketing strategy, we will: | 2020-21 | iBSc Director,ÌýMSc Director,ÌýInstitute Manager Ìý | Increased number of applications to 20 per year, with ≥40% female applicants | Ìý | Goal achieved Student numbers increased significantly to 41 in 2020-21 | Continued support of iBSc students and recruitment to SAT panel |
Ìý | i. promote the course to external candidates with strong interest in cardiovascular health and disease | Dec 2018 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Increased no. of female students to act nearly 50% (20 females of 41 students) | Ìý |
Ìý | ii. include images of female and BAME students/teachers in the course advertising materials | Dec 2018 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | External candidates also recruited | Ìý |
Ìý | iii.Ìýrecord a video, as done successfully for the MSc, with past female students and clinical staff | Dec 2018Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | VideoÌýof clinician still to be completed (delay due to COVID) | Late 2021- early 2022 |
Ìý | iv.Ìýensure female course tutors are present at the iBSc fair where students make their course selection | Jan 2019 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | AchievedÌý | Ìý |
Ìý | v.Ìýinvite female clinical scientists and alumni to present their experience at a focused career session | Mar 2019 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | AchievedÌý | Ìý |
Ìý | vi.Ìýorganise focus group with UCL Medical School 1st year students to assess bias in different clinical specialities | June 2019 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Still ongoing | WorkingÌýwith clinical researchers to achieve this |
4.2. StudentÌýmonitoring: student diversities, other than gender and PT/FT, are not formally monitored for our iBSc, MSc and PhD/MD(Res) at Institute level and this information is not available from central UCL | ToÌýevaluate potential intersectionality trends and issues for further action by SAT and DTC/SSCC, by collecting quality data within the GDPR regulations for our iBSc, MSc and PhD/MD(Res) students at registration and end of programme, including length of study, attainment and career destination (AP4.4) to be included on ICS website. | 2021 | UndergrudatueÌý& postgraduate administrators, MSc Director | ≥90% student data collected in ICS registry and annual review by SAT and DTC/SSCC. | Ìý | Data collected and collated in line with GDPR guidelines Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Data to be included on website | Ongoing process |
4.3. ClinicalÌýstaff: male are predominant (67%) amongst ICS clinical staff as Cardiology remains a male dominated specialty (80%), in particular at senior level. | To encourage consideration of Cardiology as a career at an early stage, by: | 2021 | Clinical SAT members, HoRD of Clinical Sciences,ÌýiBSc/MSc Directors | ≥40% female clinical staff | 22% female clinical staff | Female clinical lecturers involved in teaching / tutoring iBSc students. Recruitment of female cardiologists recognised as a key area of concern in cardiology; particularly in current climate of COVID pandemic | Working with clinical colleagues to raise profile of female clinicians. |
Ìý | i. emphasising positive female role models in our iBSc/MSc recruitment and teaching (AP4.1) | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Video from successful female clinical researcher to be posted on website. |
Ìý | ii. identifying key role models for students and young doctors at ICS Research Department of Clinical Sciences at Bart’s Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital and UCLH | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
Ìý | iii. mentoring and encouraging women clinical scientists annually to consider putting themselves forward for promotion | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
4.4. AcademicÌýleavers: details on reasons for leaving and future employment/plans are not formally recorded in ICS. | To record and explore formally reasons for leaving and future employment/plans in order to assess potential areas for improvement, by introducing and analysing an online exit survey | 2021 | Institute Professional Services Team | ≥95% known career destination for staff leavers and annual review by the SAT | Ìý | Ìý | Ongoing process |
SUPPORTING AND ADVANCING WOMEN’S CAREERS | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
5.1. Training monitoring: attendance to mandatory training courses is not fully recorded for new staff or when re-training for existing staffÌýÌý | To promote and record uptake to mandatory training and remind of re-training, by sending appropriate information together with the Appraisal documents and adding a specific box to the Appraisal form for annual data review, analysis and further action if necessary by the SAT | Ìý | Ìý | ≥95% uptake on mandatory training, in particular on Unconscious Bias, for new staff, and retraining every 3 years for current staff | Ìý | Information gathered is limited by GDPRÌý These processes have been affected by the pandemic: many courses switched to online to support uptake by staff, and have been highlighted at the Institute’s Town Hall meetings. | Continued monitoring of training |
5.2.Clinical staff recruitment:Ìý data quality needs to be improved, but analysis on available recruitment data has shown that female academic cardiologists are less successful than men during the recruitment process | To understand the reasons behind female academic cardiologists being less successful than men during the recruitment process, by engaging with ‘Women in Cardiology’, British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) and running a focus group for identifying barriers, and training in CV writing, presentation and interview | from BCS Annual Conference 2019 to 2023 | Clinical SAT members | Equal success rates for women and men from initial application through offer | Ìý | Recruitment of female cardiologists recognised as a key area of concern in cardiology; clinical heads of department to help with recruitment. | Ìý |
5.3. RecruitmentÌý panels: diversities other than gender are not currently monitored in our selection panels for new posts | To monitor BAME representation in ICS interviewing panel, and increase the proportion of BAME members if necessary, by drawing from a UCL bias and selection expert pool of BAME staff | Dec 2019 | Institute Manager, HR manager Ìý | ≥33% BAME representation in interviewing panels | 2017 = 22% 2018 = 15% 2019 = 42% 2020 = data unavailable/limited due to recruitment freeze Ìý | Ìý | Continue to monitor BAME representation and replicate success from 2019 |
5.4. Promotion - Scientists:Ìý few scientists apply, in particular for Additional Increments/Contribution Points There is poor level of understanding of the promotion process (ICS staff survey 2017) and UCL introduced a new Academic Career Framework in Oct 2017 to help plan and support career development and recognise achievements. | To encourage more scientists to apply and improve understanding of promotion process and criteria, some actions have already been implemented as explained in Section 5.1(iii) and outcomes will be assessed in the next few months. However, we have identified further areas for action: | 2021 | Institute Director, Institute Manager, HoRD,SAT | ≥20% staff applying for Additional Increments/ Contribution Points/ Promotions annually withÌý≥80% staff reporting that they understand the promotion process and criteria (staff survey | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
Ìý | i. to bring forward the invitation to research staff to apply to allow more time to prepare | Sept 2018 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
Ìý | ii. positive action to ensure that PT staff are encouraged to apply and are supported | Sept 2018 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
Ìý | iii. To run an annual research/academic promotions workshop led by senior ICS members at the beginning of September every year, in particular focusing on SMART objectives and making explicit the link between a fellowship as evidence of achievement and as source of funding | Sept 2018 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
Ìý | iv. To review the Workload model used in appraisals to facilitate the discussion around promotion, in particular to ensure enabling activities are properly recognised | Dec 2018 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
5.5. REF2021Ìý all eligible female staff members (30% of total return) were returned at REF2014. We forecast an increase in the number of female returned, reflecting the increase in the numbers of female staff | To have a return for REF2021 with no bias for gender and/or other diversities and plan for impact case submission, by running a mock REF exercise | Oct 2018 | Institute Director, Institute Manager,ÌýHORD,ÌýSAT co-chairs | No gender bias in the staff returned to the REF; ≥33% of ICS impact studies to include women | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
5.6. Promotion -Ìý PS/technical staff: lack of a formal career structure at 911±¬ÁÏÍø makes progression difficult | To assess the need of encouraging PS/technical to apply for promotion, by monitoring application for regrading by grade, gender and PT/FT modes, introducing a tailored Workload model for PS/technical staff for discussion during appraisals and by adding specific questions to the bi-annual ICS staff survey | March 2019 | SAT PS/technical staff | Promotion data, ICS staff survey results and Workload model forms from appraisals returned for SAT monitoring and assessment | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
5.7. Appraisal:Ìýreturn rate (85%) has improved thanks to the actions introduced in the past years, but we have not yet achieved the 95% target. In addition, 37% of staff (no gender difference) finds the appraisal not useful (ICS staff survey 2017) | To rise return rate further and assess quality of appraisals, by: | 2021 | SAT co-chairs,ÌýHoRD | ≥95% staff appraised annually with 100% of line managers completing UCL appraisal training andÌý≥85% staff finding appraisal constructive and useful (staff survey) | >80% achieved pre-lockdown. Affected by changes to recording processes for specific groups of staff (professorial and joint clinical), not necessarily available on my HR. Appraisal processes also significantly affected by pandemic and lockdown during 2020-21. | Organise workshop to raise awareness of appraisal system. ICS Management to raise awareness with managers andÌýcontinued monitoring of success rate | Ìý |
Ìý | i. adapting ICS staff survey to include specific questions | Jan 2019 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
Ìý | ii. running focus workshops with different categories according to survey results | Dec 2019 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
Ìý | iii. ensuring that all Line Managers undertake UCL Appraiser Training | Dec 2019 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
5.8.ÌýFellowships: number of applicants are small, although training through tailored workshops, and support from JF and senior staff are provided | To increase the number of fellowship applications, by setting up an ad hoc task force, which will work with IMB and JF to actively seek candidates for fellowships, and support them through 1-to-1 mentoring, reviewing of applications and interview training. | Dec 2018 Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 2021 Ìý Ìý | Institute Director,ÌýHoRD,ÌýJF chair | ≥3 ECRs (≥1 woman) identified annually to put forward for fellowship applications, Ìý Ìý ≥ 50% success rate | Ìý | Some improvement in increasing numbers with more success for women in clinical fellowships (36% compared with 26% men) and non-clinical fellowships (24% female success; 0% male) | EDI committee supports RANG fellowship committee in planning and facilitating programmes for fellowship applicants. Work with HoD to identify and support appropriate candidates. |
5.9.ÌýStudent career development: career development events are organised for iBSc/MSc/PhD/M(Res) students, but feedback is not always collected formally, and 1-to-1 mentoring is available for only a limited number of students (MSc/BHF PhD) | To ensure that career development session are meeting expectation and to increase mentoring opportunities, by: Ìý i. collecting formal feedback with short questionnaire at the end of each event ii. piloting a mentoring scheme for PhD student groups, provided by JF ECR mentors, which will undergo training. This would allow us to overcome the main challenge of 1-to-1 mentoring in identifying enough senior female mentors and will allow development of mentoring skills in our ECR group Ìý Ìý | Sept 2020 | SAT co-chairs,ÌýJF chair | ≥50% of ICS students have a mentor and report positive effects in student survey | Ìý | All students are provided with mentors; good feedback from survey. Student career workshops held regularly. | Ongoing support of students. |
5.10. Grant applications: A thorough record on grant application numbers and success rates across ICS is lacking | To monitor grant/fellowship applications vs. results, including gender differences, in order to highlight areas of strengths and weaknesses and to support academic/research staff in the application process, by allocating a PS Administrator to each Research Department. The Institute Manager will use new software tools to provide data and insight to inform improvements | May 2019 Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 2021 Ìý Ìý | Institute Manager | Grant data report as agenda item at IMB and JF Increased grant & fellowship success rate Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
5.11. Training for PS/technical staff: only 50% feels that there are sufficient career development opportunities (UCL Staff Survey 2017) | To identify the barriers to training, reasons for lack of opportunities and specific needs, by running focus groups with PS and with technical staff, followed by short questionnaires. | Dec 2018 | Institute Manager, SAT co-chairs,ÌýPS/technical staff SAT members | ≥75% PS/technical staff responding positively in feeling supported in their career (ICS & UCL staff survey 2021) | Ìý | Focus shifted to providing PS/technical staff support to adjust to the new working environment and increased workload due to Covid restrictions. This included creating suitable home-working conditions, flexible working/part-time furlough and re-assessment of existing JDs and priorities. Barriers to training and lack of opportunities were discussed as part of the appraisal process. | Run focus groups with PS/Technical staff to identify barriers to training and put in place measures to address the issues. |
Ìý | To increase the availability of training session and improve the effectiveness of current courses, by ensuring training opportunities are offered locally (ICS shadowing, FPHS courses) and are proposed in relation to the ability to progress or be promoted. | May 2020 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý |
Ìý | To improve networking and sharing best practices, by creating a Technician Network supported by a small budget; technicians from other Divisions within 911±¬ÁÏÍøho have successful implemented these networks could be invited to facilitate this action. | May 2019 | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | Ìý | To continue outreach activities especially relating to areas of interest to the public |
5.12. Outreach activities: recognition of the importance of these activities for staff promotion/additional increment/contribution point and for student development is not clear | To extend outreach programme and further incentivise uptake, by encouragement at appraisals, explicit linking to promotion, and reporting past public engagement activities in the News section of ICS website and at all staff events | May 2020 | SAT Ìý | ≥75% staff (no gender difference) involved in outreach activities reported in the appraisal Workload model | Ìý | AchievedÌý | Ìý |
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