In June 2007 Staffordshire University's Equality and Diversity team was awarded a grant to undertake further research over the next year into flexible working in higher education. The successful bid aims to follow up on work initiated with support from the two previous awards the team has received from the Higher Education Funding Council's Leadership, Governance and Management Fund.

The new project, led by Jill Scott and supported by Clare Harp, Senior Administrative Assistant in the Equality and Diversity team, will produce an audit of flexible working in the higher education sector, both in terms of quantity and type. Another of the project's objectives is the production of good practice guidance for the sector, based upon working closely with a number of institutions, including Hertfordshire, St Mary's University College, Twickenham, the University of Chester and Staffordshire. The project team will also be working closely with other relevant organisations, such as the trades unions, UCEA, the Universities Personnel Association and the Equality Challenge Unit.

• Project Plan, June 2007: Flexible Working – Implementation Issues for the HE Sector - Word (Filesize 76 KB)
• Interim Project Report, July 2008 - Word (Filesize 33 KB)
• Interim Project Report, April 2008 - Word (Filesize 33 KB)
• Good Practice Guide Final Version, September 2008 - PDF (Filesize 806KB)
• Research Report Final Version, September 2008 - (PDF 539 KB)

The questionnaire for the sector wide survey has been distributed and the returns are currently being assessed and evaluated. An analysis of the survey, including a comparison with the results from the previous audit undertaken by the Flexible Employment Options project team in 2000, will be available to view on this webpage shortly.

This one day conference is being organised as part of the dissemination of the findings of the latest phase of the HEFCE funded Flexible Working project. The event is FREE OF CHARGE to delegates and will take place on Tuesday 7th October 2008 at Woburn House in London.

For further details please see publicity leaflet below:

• Making Flexible Working Work in Higher Education Conference Leaflet - Word(Filesize 53 KB)