A mentor-based scheme aims to improve the number of women putting themselves forward for promotion.
The University’s Senior Academic Promotions CV Scheme will be launched at the start of July and is looking for participants.
The scheme aims to address the under-representation of female academics in senior positions by encouraging and supporting more women to apply for promotion within the University. It does this by matching participants with a mentor who reviews the applicant’s CV and accompanying paperwork, and offers advice and support about the process as a whole.
Mentors, who are senior University academics, will be selected according to participants’ academic background, with advice given by email and in face-to-face meetings.
This year’s scheme, which has been extended to include applications from all six Schools and also welcomes male participants, is looking for heads of department to identify candidates for promotion and encourage them to apply.
WiSETI Project Officer Vivien Hodges, who runs the scheme, said many female academics who are ready for promotion are often more reluctant to put themselves forward. “Historically, women have tended to wait too long to apply for promotion, delaying until they feel their case for promotion is as strong as it possibly can be,” she said.
“The University has made it a priority to get more women into senior positions and the Senior Academic Promotions CV Scheme is an important contribution to that mission. Sometimes women just need someone else to reassure them they are ready to apply.”