Introduction to Balance

The Balance Project is a HEFCE funded Project begun in September 2000. The project will gather, disseminate and embed existing good practice in developing methodologies to generate an engineering community to which more balanced numbers of women and men are attracted, recruited and retained.

The Project Team is made up of academics and staff from Loughborough University these are:

If you would like to contact any of the Project Team please e-mail the Project Officer, Kerry Baker first.

The main work of the project is the production of three resource packs to be used in other Higher Education Instututes which help to create a more balanced number of women and men in engineering departments. These resource packs have been produced from the knowledge gained through trials at our partner institutions. The good work that has already been done within these institutions has been clearly documented and developed into an instruction manual for others to use.

There are three areas of implementation:

We are always looking out for new partners so if you would like to be involved please e-mail the Project Officer, Kerry Baker, or write to the Balance Project at Eng TLSC, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU.

The project has also compiled a vast amount of background material to support the initial concepts of the project. This background information includes descriptions of National Initiatives across the country, Existing Practice reports of work being carried out in other institutions and Personal Profiles documenting the working lives of women and men in the engineering industry. These reports are all designed to inform the reader of the work already being done and of the true working life of an engineer, to change the stereotypical views that engineering is all about dirty workshops and overalls!

If you would like to tell us what work you have been doing in this area or feel your life in engineering would be of interest us please contact the Project Officer, Kerry Baker, by e-mail or letter at the address shown above.