UKRC wants equality in technology + engineering

An Editorial Articles: Miscellaneous submissions product story

Edited by the Processingtalk editorial team Jul 10, 2008

The UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (UKRC) recently held a workshop aimed at professional bodies interested in improving their equality and diversity practices

More than 30 representatives from the various STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) professional institutions and societies attended the workshop held at the Institute of Physics in London.

The event, chaired by Peter Cotgreave, Head of Public Affairs at the Royal Society, who will continue to champion the network as it moves forward, was designed to establish and grow a network of institutes and societies.

The network has been founded by the UKRC and its core partners; the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Royal Academy of Engineering, under the name SPIDER (STEM Professional Institutions Diversity and Equality Resources).

The workshop introduced the resources available through the network to help STEM organisations enhance equality practices, showing how they can get involved and explore what other bodies are doing to address diversity issues.

By becoming a part of the network, professional institutes make a commitment to engage actively in adopting best practice to ensure diversity and equality are fully integrated in all their activities.

Annette Williams, Director of the UKRC, commented: "In this time of heightened skills shortages, the under-representation of women in STEM is a threat to UK innovation because only a third of the half a million qualified in the subjects actually work in the sector.

The UKRC is committed to providing resources to women and employers to help raise the participation and profile of women in STEM.

As leaders in their field, professional bodies need to respond to changing demographics and developments in the composition of the professions linked to STEM, as well as to the evolving policy and legislative context on equality and diversity.

It is also important that they model best practice within their own organisation in order to embed equality and diversity in all aspects of their activity and governance".

The event also included talks from Julie Ashdown of the Athena Swan Charter Equality Challenge Unit, Bob Ditchfield of the Royal Academy of Engineering on the Diversity in Engineering Campaign, and details about the UKRC CEO Charter; a charter which organisations can sign up to in order to commit to a set of criteria around gender equality and diversity.

Liam Cagney, Executive Assistant at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), attended the event.

He commented: "I found the SPIDER workshop very informative.

Professional bodies in the sector must take positive steps towards acknowledging diversity in all aspects of their activity to ensure continued leadership in the future of their field.

The UKRC CEO Charter is a good way for organisations to show their commitment to improving equality in STEM".

Background to the UKRC for Women in SET:.

Established in 2004 to support the Government's ten-year strategy for Science and Innovation, the UKRC works to improve the participation and position of women in SET across industry, academia and public services in the UK.

Funded by the DIUS, it provides advice and consultancy on gender equality to employers in industry and academia, professional institutes, education and Research Councils.

The UKRC also helps women entering into and progressing within SET careers, through advice and support at all career stages, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

www.ukrc4setwomen.org.