De Montfort University: Promotion applications

 ‘Aspiring Academics’ events were set up with the aim to encourage applications for Readerships and Professorships from under‐represented groups. The well-attended events also aimed to demystify the application and selection processes, and featured prominent female BAME role models. Subsequent Reader and Professorial promotion rounds saw an increase in the application and success rates of female and BAME applicants. The REC staff survey revealed that more BAME staff felt they had been encouraged to apply for promotion. In addition, lower standard deviation illustrated less variance in the range of responses for BAME compared to white staff. BAME staff consistently made proportionally more applications for promotion at Professorial and Readership level than white staff. The BAME success rate was comparable to the white success rate, exceeding this on two of four occasions. Evidence from Athena SWAN and recent promotions rounds has seen that under‐represented groups highly valued targeted  communications to encourage them to apply for promotional  opportunities.