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Left to right: Matt Naish, Isobel Pearce, David Ruebain, Sarah Guthrie and Mhairi Campbell

In line with the University’s ongoing commitment to gender equality through the Advance HE Athena Swan Charter, a small group of key stakeholders recently came together for a focused roundtable discussion to identify disparities between men and women, as well as racial disparities, in academic career progression. This discussion forms part of our broader work to address systemic inequalities, as reflected in our Athena Swan action plan to promote equity across all levels of the University. For more on our Athena Swan initiatives, visit Sussex Athena Swan.

The roundtable was designed to take a closer look at the data and discuss practical steps to tackle disparities, especially as they affect women and Black academics. Building on earlier conversations, the meeting was chaired by David Ruebain, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Culture, Equality and Inclusion) and involved representatives from HR, the Race Equality Charter Self-Assessment Team (RECSAT), and the Gender Equality Steering Group. The objective was to create a space for open dialogue, informed by data, to understand more about the particularities at Sussex and explore where further progress could be made.

Data insights and institutional commitments

The session opened with a presentation outlining key data points related to starting salaries, promotion rates, and other indicators, such as pay gap data. Together these gave a gave some insights and highlighted where further data and analysis was needed.

This was then followed with a review of our institutional commitments through the REC and Athena Swan, offering context for the existing actions aimed at addressing these inequalities. We sought to explore specific areas highlighted by recent literature, linked here, to assess whether and how these approaches might be replicated at Sussex

• Women ‘take 15 years more than men’ to become professors (timeshighereducation.com
• New report urges renewed focus on advancing the careers of Black academics - HEPI 
• Most academic mothers take on majority of childcare duties (timeshighereducation.com) 

Next steps

The discussion allowed for thoughtful engagement with the data and identification of areas where further work is needed. Participants highlighted the importance of examining the experiences of underrepresented groups in more depth and ensuring that University-wide actions are targeted and impactful. Moving forward, the group acknowledged the need for continued dialogue and collaboration to support equitable career progression for all staff.

This roundtable represents an ongoing effort to align our actions with our commitments under the Athena Swan Charter and the Race Equality Charter, contributing to a fairer, more inclusive academic environment. By taking a data-driven approach, encouraging open discussions, and developing and implementing actions to address disparities and barriers, we are making steps towards addressing the gender and racial inequalities that persist within academia.

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