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Survey: career progression barriers faced by PS Ethnic Minorities staff members

14 Jul 2021

Call for survey participants

A key priority for our University is to create a truly diverse and inclusive working environment where all staff have equal access to opportunities to reach their potential regardless of identity, background or circumstance.

At our University, Ethnic Minorities (EM) are underrepresented at senior leadership positions (from grade 6 and above). In the Professional Services (PS), the proportion of EM staff stood at 7.3% in 2017.  This was below the Russell Group average at that time (10.7%, 2017/18 HESA Returns), and worryingly, this has not significantly improved since. We need to work together and do better. There has been notable progress on gender in recent years. Now we need to build on those successful campaigns which have increased female representation at the top of organisation, and apply our learnings to make significant strides with ethnic diversity. 

Working closely with the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) team across the University, Dr Ania Jolly, Interim Operations Manager, Christabel Pankhurst Institute for Health Technology Research and Innovation is conducting a project exploring EM PS staff perception of promotion/career progression. EM PS staff working at grade 6 and above can share their experiences in an online survey.

The aim:

To acknowledge and understand the barriers that EM staff face when advancing in their careers at three levels: individual, organisational and social in order to formulate a workable action plan.

This research will inform a new strategy document with defined recommendations on how to:

  • Identify and overcome individual barriers
  • Influence and improve practise to be more inclusive
  • Establish an effective mentoring framework to enable and encourage colleagues
  • Improve consultation opportunities for EM colleagues to contribute to policies regarding career progression and attainment to leadership.

More information: