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Both the University’s (UoS) and the HE sector benchmark data (Source: Advance HE Staff statistical report 2022) is drawn from the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) staff return, allowing effective comparisons with the benchmark data.
Percentages in the following charts are the proportion of each characteristic at a given stage. On average in an equitable process the bars should be approximately equal for a given characteristic across the recruitment stages (for example the proportion of shortlisted and appointed candidates who are female should be close to the proportion of applicants who are female.)
More than half of all applicants were female and women were more likely to be appointed than men, although the gender balance at all stages was slightly more even than last year. 60% of appointed candidates were female, compared to 65% last year.
6% of all applicants declared a disability, up from 4% last year. Applicants with a declared disability were slightly more likely to be interviewed than would be expected on average, influenced by our “Disability Confident” commitment to interview disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria. The proportion of appointed candidates is in line with the proportion of disabled applicants, however.
20% of all applicants identified their ethnicity as BME, a significant increase on 11% in 2017/18. 17% (54 staff) appointed were BME, compared to 7% (20 staff) in 2017/18.
In addition to the greater volume of applicants, 6.6% of BME applications were converted into an appointment this year compared to 5.1% last year.
From 2018/19 to address any potential unconscious bias against BME applicants, the University introduced anonymised recruitment through our e-Recruitment system in which online shortlisting is conducted without the panel knowing the candidates’ names. This does not appear to have affected the slight drop off in the proportion of BME applicants who progress to interview, but does reduce the likelihood that this is due to conscious or unconscious bias. There remains no drop off in the proportions between interview and offer.
Nearly half (48%) of BME appointments were at the University’s campus in London. BME applications are further analysed by job type and grade below; BME applications occur across a range of grades and job types.
As part of our Athena SWAN action plan we are using positive phrases to attract greater numbers of BME applicants. The University provides recruitment and selection training for interview panels that includes equality and diversity aspects and offers Unconscious Bias training for managers and staff.