HE workforce overview shows positive equality trends

The higher education workforce framework 2010 report was published by HEFCE on 25 February 2010.

The report highlights positive progress in the higher education workforce in England and notes 'a greater willingness among HEIs to embrace cultural and behavioural change in equality and diversity'.

Positive trends include:

• An increase in the proportion of women in academic posts, with the proportion rising from 27% in 1995/96 to 39% in 2008/09
• An increase in the proportion of senior lecturers from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, from 3.9% in 1995/96 to 6.9% in 2008/09

HEFCE's analysis of the English workforce statistics also found a slightly faster rate of increase in the proportion of female professors than had previously been anticipated, from 13% in 1999 to 22% in 2008. This analysis presents a more positive trend over time than Equalitylink reported last month (see note below).

ECU welcomed the report as a valuable snapshot of where the English sector now stands on crucial issues including equal pay, flexible working and its readiness for the possible removal of the default retirement age.

ECU also reflected on the role that the Equality Bill can play in accelerating some of the positive trends that we have seen over the past few years.

Read ECU's response to the report here:

• Equality Bill has the potential to accelerate positive workforce trends

Note on reporting of women at professorial level:

ECU has been made aware that there have been anomalies in the reporting of professors.

Within HESA and ECU publications, the term 'professor' has historically referred to staff graded as 'heads of department, professors, former Universities Authoritative Panel scale researchers (grade IV), clinical professors and those recorded as professors on a locally determined scale.'

However, from 2008/09, only those staff whose contract confers the title 'professor' are reported as professors.

ECU's short article in February's Equalitylink did not take account of this change, and we would therefore recommend that the February article is disregarded. An alternative analysis of the proportion of women working in professorial roles within the sector in England is provided in pages 91 to 93 of the HEFCE report.