Developing and aspirational culture – 17th April 2015

Developing an Aspirational Culture: 2

Sunderland University’s Gender Network (SunGen) and Northumbria University’s Gendered Subjects and Gender and Society Research Hub have joined together to present a day-long event to build on the discussions emerging from a highly successful half-day seminar held in Sunderland in January 2015. ,

This collaborative event will be held on Friday 17^th April in Priestman 015, University of Sunderland.

The main issues emerging from the January meeting were:

1. That there is a need to develop an aspirational culture both for female staff and students in particular.

2. There needs to be a higher visibility given to ‘inspiring stories’.

3. We need to identify and develop ways of fostering an aspirational culture for both staff and students.

The day-long April symposium is intended to have further conversations around these issues and will be divided into two sections, with the morning devoted to talks and dialogues relating to individual experiences. The afternoon will build on these stories to help us understand how we can use them to develop an aspirational culture across both Sunderland and Northumbria universities.

Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided. Delegates can either bring their own lunches, or take advantage of the various local food outlets both in and around the Priestman Building. There will be an informal evening meal at a popular local venue which everyone is invited to (with costs being met by participants themselves)

Schedule:

9.30-10.00am            Arrival and coffee.

10.00-10.15am         Welcome remarks.

10.15-12.00pm         Obstacles and achievements

• Maureen Fordham (Northumbria) to explore personal experiences, leading to group discussions of individual experiences of achievement.

12.15-1.00pm           Julie Mennell (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Sunderland University) to talk about her personal experiences and

achievements.

1.00-2.00pm              Lunch (attendees to make own arrangements)

2.00-4.30pm              An aspirational culture?

• Presentation of research findings into gender and aspiration by Helen Hooper (Northumbria) and Trish Bryans (Sunderland) followed by Ann Crosland (Sunderland) discussing the implementation of Athena SWAN in STEM and roll-out into Humanities and Social Sciences.

4.30-5.30pm              Roundtable discussion.

Close, with drinks and ‘early bird’ dinner to anyone interested in joining us.

If you are interested in attending this event, please contact: Angela.smith@sunderland.ac.uk by 23^rd March.

Campus map: https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/images/UoSmapcampuses.pdf (Priestman Building is no. 23)

In the morning session, we will be drawing on research by Heather Savigny at Bournemouth based on her interviews with female academics. Her article, ‘Women, know your limits: cultural sexism in academia’, appeared in Gender and Education, Vol., 26, No. , 94-809 (2014) and can be accessed here.