Business School Action for the career development of academic women Simonetta Manfredi, Centre for Diversity Policy Research Oxford Brookes University Dr. Liz Doherty, Sheffield Hallam University

Business School Action for the career development of academic women Following the results of the research to understand the causes of women’s under-representation in senior positions additional funding was awarded to the Centre for Diversity Policy Research by the ESF to develop interventions to support academic women’s career progression

Business School Action for the career development of academic women 3 types of interventions have been designed which are informed by the research undertaken by the CDPR and by other studies on gender issues in the academia: A short course aimed at senior academics with responsibilities for managing academic staff A short course aimed at women academics to raise awareness about gender issues and review sources of internal and external support that can assist with women’s career development A short course aimed at women academics to focus on the different career routes and understand how excellence is constructed in relation to teaching, research and academic administration

Business School Action for the career development of academic women Objectives of course 1 aimed at women: Review the findings of research undertaken at Brookes to explore the experiences of men and women at principal lecturer and professorial level and in senior academic management posts Understand gender differences that can act as a barrier to women’s advancement in academia and review ways to overcome them Understand the implications of equal opportunities in relation to research and the RAE 2008 Review the sources of internal and external support that can help women with their career’ choices and development. These include university policies to support staff’s work-life balance, protect staff dignity at work, staff development initiatives, mentoring and networks.

Business School Action for the career development of academic women Objectives of course 2 aimed at women: Identifying different career routes such as learning and teaching, research and academic administration Understanding the explicit criteria used for making advancement decisions Understand how excellence is constructed by senior academics involved in promotion panels and professorial conferment (this will be informed by the findings of research carried out as part of this project which involves interviews with senior academics from four institutions including Brookes) Look at role models and reflect on their career experiences

Business School Action for the career development of academic women Objectives of the short course aimed at senior academic managers: Understand the similarities and differences between men’s and women’s approaches to their careers Understand the type of barriers that women experience in their career progression Identify ways of helping men and women achieve a better work-life balance and encourage the use of flexible working where it is appropriate Identify practices that can support women’s career choices and progression

Business School Action for the career development of academic women Gender differences: Are women and men judged differently? Gender schemas (Valiant 2005) : perception of women’s and men’s expected behaviour and characteristics Have been shown to affect judgement, e.g.  Height – Biernat, Manis and Nelson 1991(matched-height photos; subjects judged women to be shorter than they were and men to be taller than they were)  Leadership – Porter and Geis, 1981 (in mixed-sex groups, man at head of table always identified as leader, woman at head identified in half of cases, with man equally likely to be seen as leader)  Reactions to leadership – Porter and Geis, 1990 (women who adopt friendly but assertive style get different reactions from men adopting same style)  Lab work – Foschi, 2005 (similar performance is seen differently in men and women) Judgements by both men and women are affected

Business School Action for the career development of academic women Examples of materials developed for the courses: Case study Sources of support - mentoring Women as agent of change? Recommended good practice to senior academic managers

Business School Action for the career development of academic women What do men and women value most about their relationship with their mentor? ‘ Over the years I have worked with one or two mangers who have been inspirational. One in particular was very good at persuading you that you could do things that you did not think you were capable of doing’ Female in middle manager role ‘When I was doing post doctoral research, the professor I worked with at university X was a wonderful friend and mentor. I am still in contact with him and we do research together. He has been inspirational and he has recommended me to others, helped me to get on journal editorial boards or committees – I suppose patronage’ Men in middle management role

Business School Action for the career development of academic women The literature on mentoring roles has identified three main types of mentoring roles (De Vries and Webb 2006): Psychological support ( e.g. acceptance, confirmation, counselling, friendship) Instrumental/career support (e.g. sponsorship, exposure and visibility, coaching, protection, challenging assignments) Role modelling (e.g. appropriate attitudes, values and behaviours)

Business School Action for the career development of academic women In their study on mentors De Vries and Webb (2006) found ‘no apparent difference in the emphasis on psychological support between male and female mentors’. However, they found that male mentors tended to note ‘more instrumental benefits to the mentee’ although this might be due to the fact that male mentors in their sample overall occupied more senior positions than female mentors.

Business School Action for the career development of academic women Questions for the women: Have you ever had a mentor or have you been a mentor yourself? If you had or still have a mentor in what ways do you think this has helped you? If you have been or still are a mentor how do you see your role to be in relation to your mentees?

Business School Action for the career development of academic women Question for senior academic managers: Do you think that departments could have a role in providing mentoring? If you do, what do you think the role of mentoring should be in the department (e.g. instrumental, psychological)

Business School Action for the career development of academic women Women as agent of change? Can you think of any situation in your working environment or in a different context where your actions have made things better for women? Can you think of any situation in your current working environment or in a different context where you could make things better for women?

Business School Action for the career development of academic women Examples of recommended good practice to senior academic managers (based on Athena documentation): An appointment process that encourages women and men to apply for academic posts at all levels: Suggesting to existing staff who are eligible that they should apply – reinforcing their value to the department Ensuring that those involved in selection are aware of the differences in the way women and men ‘sell’ themselves in terms of their achievements

Business School Action for the career development of academic women A departmental organisation and culture that is open, inclusive, transparent and supportive of all its staff: A review of gender and ethnicity of departmental staff who have not held positions of responsibility and who have not been nominated by the department for faculty/university positions and responsibilities including committees and project teams Senior staff and men in the department taking advantage of work-life balance policies and encouraging others to do so

Business School Action for the career development of academic women A dissemination day will be held at the end of the ESF project in April 2007 to present the materials developed and discuss feedback from users If you wish to receive information about this event please contact Rohini Sampath at the Centre for Diversity Policy Research