IBS Lunchtime Research Seminar - Gendering the notion of collegiality in higher education: a UK organisational case study

You are cordially invited to attend an International Business and Strategy Departmental Research Meeting, during which there will be a presentation by Dr Christina Efthymiadou, Henley Business School A reminder that attendance for IBS (full time, research oriented) staff and full-time students is compulsory, and where possible, must be in person. Individuals unable to attend in person, due to legitimate reasons will be provided a Teams link on request. Non-IBS staff are welcome to attend, but must register prior to the event. If you have not received the email invite please email Angie Clark

Please join us in Room 108, Henley Business School, if you would like to attend, please register using the link below:

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Please make sure you let me know in advance if you intend to attend in person so that the correct amount of catering is booked.

Date: Wednesday 29th January 2025, HBS Room 108

Time: 13.00 - 14.15pm

Abstract:

The under-representation of women in senior positions and decision making has been identified as a key issue for advancing gender equality. In the European higher education and research sector, women are still under-represented in many fields and across senior positions (She Figures, 2021). Gendered organisational structures, policies and academic cultures are key reasons women do not progress as fast to senior positions. Job evaluation systems lie at the heart of gendered practices and examining closely the terms under which academics get rewarded and promoted can contribute to a more holistic understanding of how gender inequalities are being reproduced and/or mitigated within academic institutions (Scully, 2002; Benschop and van den Brink, 2012). With this as a starting point, this paper draws on insights from a completed research project on academic promotions and relates to inclusive policies and practices designed to support women’s professional aspirations. Our study provides new empirical data from a UK academic organisation (research intensive) where a new academic promotions framework was introduced with the goal of fostering inclusivity. In this paper we focus on the inclusion of collegiality as an explicit promotion criterion in this newly implemented framework and we examine its potential for acknowledging hidden contributions within academia and thus mitigating gender inequalities. We review the relevant university policies and protocols and analyse thematically semi-structured interviews with nine members of the Professorial Promotion committee and 25 academics who submitted applications for promotion, to reveal the nuances associated with the interpretation of the concept of collegiality and its relevance for gender equality practices.