GENDERTIME

Professor Tarek Hassan, Professor Andy Dainty and Dr Sarah Barnard
Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, and Business and Economics

The GENDERTIME project has developed a successful approach for implementing Gender Equality Action Plans across a range of higher education and research contexts.

The EU-funded project brought together seven European institutions – including Loughborough – to explore ways to increase the participation and career advancement of women researchers.

Career progression for women in STEM has long been described as a “leaky pipe” (Angier, 1995) – many embark, but few progress to higher levels, as women are more likely to leave industry and academia at every stage.

GENDERTIME has developed several ways to tackle this - helping women to succeed and achieve “scientific stardom”.

The School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering (ABCE) was one of the project’s living labs, a test bed for the new ideas and approaches.

A key achievement of the project is the GENDERTIME toolbox which provides guidelines and tools for implementing and monitoring Gender Equality Action Plans – spanning recruitment, retention and promotion, supporting work-life balance measures, updated management and research standards, and supporting policies for dual career-couples.

Unique to the project is the concept of Transfer Agents – high ranking staff committed to promoting and safeguarding ongoing gender equality initiatives. Within ABCE, these were the School’s Associate Dean for Research and Operations Manager.

GENDERTIME has positively impacted the School’s gender balance. The School is proud to report that within a 12-month period, six female researchers moved into lectureships, and the gender equality initiatives introduced during the project are now embedded within the day-to-day operations of the School.

New groups – including the Hub Committee, Wellbeing Committee, and Welfare and Communication Committee – have overseen change; providing professional development seminars, networking events and several other initiatives to create a more inclusive working environment.

Recognition of the impact of GENDERTIME came in 2017, when the School achieved the Athena Swan Bronze Award.