Professor Iain Cameron – Dean, Faculty of Medicine
I am pleased to present the Faculty of Medicine’s application for an Athena SWAN Silver Award. The application demonstrates significant achievements since 2012 and our ongoing ambition to enhance career opportunities for women in medicine and related disciplines. As Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, I have had a longstanding commitment to women’s health and wellbeing, and as Chair of the University of Southampton’s Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team I have ensured that support for Athena SWAN activities in Medicine is closely aligned with strategic investment at institutional level, as well as with the academic mission of the Faculty.
We have completed all of our Bronze action plan objectives. We have evidence of our success, for example, through the engagement of staff across Academic Units, including creating Academic Unit Self-Assessment Teams, and the additional range of support enabled by a new Faculty policy for parental leave and flexible working. We have prioritised support for women to progress their careers. All staff have undertaken Equality and Diversity training, and there is a renewed commitment at all levels to use annual appraisal as an effective tool to support career aspirations. Senior staff are aware of the need to address gender issues at senior leadership and general meetings. Timings of meetings have been changed to accommodate colleagues with family commitments. Athena SWAN is now a key element of induction for all new staff and is embedded in all of our activities.
The Athena SWAN process has driven a culture change through opportunities for staff development in Academic Units and across the Faculty. It has provided a focus for career progression and managing career breaks, and built individual confidence and insight into gender-related issues. The highly successful SpringBoard Programme and our model mentoring system have led to an increase in the number of women applying for and achieving promotion. There is still more to do to continue to increase the proportion of women who successfully progress through the academic grades. This provides the basis for our future action plan, including a specific focus on progression to clinical lectureship level and beyond.
The Faculty’s team has contributed to a major re-evaluation of the activities and ethos of the Faculty, setting a clear direction that will benefit all staff in the future. Effective networks of Academic Unit champions and teams, with the support of a full time project manager, are instilling a significant culture change and commitment to Athena SWAN. In addition, work undertaken by the Faculty team has informed Athena SWAN activity across the wider University, with Medicine’s mentorship programme recognised as an example of best practice.
We have set ourselves a challenging goal to achieve gold status by 2020. I can confirm that the necessary leadership, funding, resources and infrastructure are in place to drive the action plan, not only for recognition at Silver level but to stimulate continuous improvement to enhance career opportunities for women in the Faculty and across the University.
Iain T Cameron
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton