- Achieved Bronze Athena SWAN award status.
- Introduced a new Induction Programme, including promotions process information and guidance.
- Increased mentoring opportunities and career guidance initiatives.
- Increased awareness of our equality and diversity team, work and events.
- Raised awareness of the Family Support and Return to Work Fund. Contact equality@uea.ac.uk for further details.
- Mandated compliance with Equality and Diversity training for all faculty staff.
- Redesigned recruitment literature highlighting our family-friendly support for external and internal recruitment.
- Increased promotion of seminar series and Research Day opportunities to female speakers.
- Funded Aurora training place for women interested in leadership and collaborating opportunities.
- Awareness of the excellent achievements of our female scientists.
“Fortunate to work in a supportive environment”
Dr Rosemary Norton, Senior Demonstrator in Pharmacology
After completing my PhD in Molecular Pharmacology in the School in 2012, and working as a Senior Demonstrator on a full time basis, I took maternity leave of nine months in 2014. The School fully supported my request to return to work on a part time basis to enable me to spend time with my daughter whilst also continuing my career development. This has allowed me to achieve a life-work balance that I am happy with, and I feel fortunate that I work in a supportive environment where everyone is treated as an individual with flexibility tailored to personal circumstances.
“Good supporting mechanisms for staff with families”
Dr Sheng Qi, Senior Lecturer in Drug Delivery
Since 2008, I have taken three periods of between four and six months of maternity leave. Using flexible working and family-supportive facilities provided by the University such as the on-campus nursery, I managed to return to work full-time after each period of maternity leave. Running a research lab, caring for three young children and having a husband who works away during the week, working full-time is physically demanding, but fun.
The School has continuously supported me to take on more senior roles within the School, which has helped with my career development. I am currently the Director of Employability and hold memberships of most School committees. I was promoted to senior lecturer in 2013.
I feel that the School has good supporting mechanisms for staff with families that promote a good work-life balance and don’t compromise staff career progression.
“Flexible arrangements gave me an opportunity”
Laura Ellis, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice
I joined the School in 2003 as a part-time teacher practitioner for the Co-operative Pharmacy. I was mentored by experienced staff and given the opportunity to attend University training. Following a company restructure and redundancy, the School offered me a fixed term contract as a teacher practitioner. In 2010 I was promoted to Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice on a part time basis. This allowed me to work here, work as a community pharmacist and spend time caring for my son, who attended the University nursery. Since my second period of maternity leave, I have been supported with flexible working and have undertaken the MAHEP with part time study. I have undertaken project work and designed a new degree for accreditation and the majority of this work has been completed working remotely.
This flexible arrangement gave me an opportunity to develop my career and encouraged me to build external links, which will allow for further career development.