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Through the Glass Ceiling

Through the Glass Ceiling. Career Progression Programme and Strategy (CPPS) for Female Academics and Researchers in UCC. Equality for Women Measure Strand 3 Project University College Cork. Project Team at UCC. Hosted by Institute for Social Sciences in 21 st Century (ISS21)

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Through the Glass Ceiling

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  1. Through the Glass Ceiling Career Progression Programme and Strategy (CPPS) for Female Academics and Researchers in UCC Equality for Women Measure Strand 3 Project University College Cork Investing in your future

  2. Project Team at UCC • Hosted by Institute for Social Sciences in 21st Century (ISS21) • In collaboration with UCC Equality Committee • Project Coordinator: Aifric O Gráda • Team: Caitríona Ní Laoire (PI), Geraldine Boylan, Linda Connolly, Carol Linehan

  3. Gender inequality in Irish universities Source: Dept of Education and Science 2005

  4. Dual project approach • Individual level actions (Strand 1): Implementing dedicated training and mentorship programmes aimed at empowerment of female academics and researchers in relation to their own career paths and at promotion of gender equality in career progression • Structural level actions (Strand 2): Identifying and implementing organisational strategies that will tackle gender inequalities and horizontal and vertical segregation as well as gendered organizational cultures

  5. Target group • Female academic and research staff in University College Cork (circa 690) • Transfer of knowledge to all Irish universities

  6. Strand 1: Professional Development Training for Women Academics and Researchers • Review of national and international best practice • 1-day Career Planning Workshops for early career female academics/researchers (71 women) • 1-day Career Planning Workshops for mid to late career (42 women) • Involvement of HR and Careers Advisory personnel • Follow-up career planning and specific skills sessions planned for Year 2 (time management, promotion and progression, networking, etc)

  7. Evaluation of workshops Of 41 women participants surveyed: • 100% were “very satisfied” (84%) or “somewhat satisfied” (16%) with the workshop • 96% stated that the workshop had a positive impact on their current attitude to their career • 82% of respondents stated that the workshop had an impact on both their short-term and long-term career goals

  8. Feedback from participants “It has empowered me to develop a short, medium and long term plan for my career, with realistic, achievable goals.” “I think it’s a very positive initiative and hope it gathers momentum and expands more. Female academics need this kind of support.”

  9. Unique features of Professional Development programme • Programme tailored to target group • Not being offered elsewhere • External expert facilitators with experience of academic audiences • For women only • Focused on professional/academic development

  10. Strand 2: Mentoring scheme • Review of national and international best practice • Mentoring not coaching • Training delivered to mentors (19 women) and mentees (29 women) • 20 mentoring partnerships established • 94% described the training as ‘very helpful’ or ‘helpful’ • Target for Year 2: 40 additional partnerships plus mentoring circles

  11. Unique features of mentoring scheme • Based on international best practice • Women only • Training by external expert with experience of academic mentoring scheme

  12. Strand 2: Awareness-raising • UCC Equality Newsletter Le Chéile- UCC Equality News • Project Launch • Informal awareness-raising

  13. Strand 2: Gender Equality Action Plan • Comprehensive review of literature and policy internationally • Development of 7-level Action Plan • Beyond anti-discrimination to structural change • Consultation with key stakeholders • Presentation to university management • Dissemination to other Irish universities

  14. Key features of Through the Glass Ceiling • Integration of individual and structural level actions • Pro-active and positive actions • Sustainability

  15. Barriers and obstacles • Attitudes to ‘women-only’ initiatives • Impact of public debate arising from this • Time pressures on target group • Difficulties in effectively advertising to target group • Time pressures on project

  16. Lessons • Project is meeting a need • Importance of support at management levels to ensure sustainability • Need to draw on best practice elsewhere • Need to tailor actions to target group • Need for balance between individual and structural level measures

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