Understanding the Athena SWAN award scheme for gender equality as a complex social intervention in a complex system: analysis of Silver award action plans in a comparative European perspective

Abstract

Background: Given the complex mix of structural, cultural and institutional factors that produce barriers for women in science, an equally complex intervention is required to understand and address them. The Athena SWAN Award Scheme for Gender Equality has become a widespread means to address barriers for women's advancement and leadership in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, the United States of America and Canada, while the European Commission is exploring the introduction of a similar award scheme across Europe. Methods: This study analyses the design and implementation of 16 departmental Athena SWAN Silver Action Plans in Medical Sciences at one of the world's leading universities in Oxford, United Kingdom. Data pertaining to the design and implementation of gender equality interventions were extracted from the action plans, analysed thematically, coded using categories from the 2015 Athena SWAN Charter Awards Handbook and synthesised against a typology of gender equality interventions in the European Research Area. The results were further analysed against the complexity research literature framework, where research organisations are perceived as dynamic systems that adapt, interact and co-evolve with other systems. Results: Athena SWAN is a complex contextually embedded system of action planning within the context of universities. It depends on a multitude of contextual variables that relate in complex, non-linear ways and dynamically adapt to constantly moving targets and new emergent conditions. Athena SWAN Silver Action Plans conform to the key considerations of complexity-(1) multiple actions and areas of intervention with a focus on the complex system being embedded in local dynamics, (2) the non-linearity of interventions and the constantly emerging conditions, and (3) impact in terms of contribution to change, improved conditions to foster change and the increased probability that change can occur. Conclusions: To enact effective sustainable structural and cultural change for gender equality, it is necessary to acknowledge and operationalise complexity as a frame of reference. Athena SWAN is the single most comprehensive and systemic gender equality scheme in Europe. It can be further strengthened by promoting the integration of sex and gender analysis in research and education. Gender equality policies in the wider European Research Area can benefit from exploring Athena SWAN's contextually embedded systemic approach to dynamic action planning and inclusive focus on all genders and categories of staff and students.

Markers of achievement for assessing and monitoring gender equity in a UK National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre: A two-factor model

“…Our study compliments the existing literature on gender equity in universities by contributing a context-specific perspective on NIHR BRCs—partnerships between universities and NHS organisations. In doing so, our study contributes to the growing body of literature recognising the complexity of factors producing gender inequality and the importance of context-specific interventions for different categories of staff [ 36 – 40 ] Under the complexity approach, addressing gender inequality requires multiple areas of intervention with a focus on the local context and dynamics [ 40 – 42 ]. Therefore, context-specific GE markers can help to identify areas for improvement, plan interventions, and monitor progress against the goals and strategic objectives for different categories of staff.…”

Sex and gender analysis in knowledge translation interventions: challenges and solutions

“…The difficulties of managing large multidisciplinary KT teams that include sex and gender experts as well as patients and other stakeholders is related to the complexity of managing a vast array of perspectives and representing everyone’s interests equally. This is confirmed in a study comparing the Athena SWAN award scheme with other gender equality initiatives in Europe, which found that interventions are complex social interventions in a complex system [ 29 ]. A multitude of contextual variables relate in complex, non-linear ways and must constantly adapt to moving targets and new conditions.…”

“…The contribution of ADVANCE to increasing inclusivity has been difficult to separate from overall institutional and academic pushes for inclusivity; additionally, their projects include small numbers of individuals and multiple interventions, which makes it difficult to isolate change [ 11 ]. The Athena SWAN project also found it difficult to directly link the effects of policy changes with their initiatives [ 29 ].…”

How to strengthen a health research system: WHO’s review, whose literature and who is providing leadership?

“…Articles on the main components of a NHRS were supplemented by some important papers on topics that are highly relevant but which feature less frequently in HARPS. These include a study aimed at reducing the research waste that arises from disproportionate regulation by examining the practices for exempting low-risk research from ethics review in four high-income countries [71], the Global Observatory's paper on research funding described earlier [29], a study on the governance of national health research funding institutions [72], and one on a more recent topic of growing significancean analysis of attempts to boost gender equality in health research [73]. Additionally, some of the papers on specific components, such as impact evaluation or use of evidence, are extending the analysis.…”