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Staff data analysis

Both the University’s and the HE sector benchmark data is drawn from the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) staff return, allowing effective comparisons with the benchmark data.

For a full version of our 2022-23 data please contact inclusion@sunderland.ac.uk .

An academic speaking to a group of children who have their hands in the air

For the second consecutive year, the largest age band for staff at Sunderland is 36 to 40, in line with both London and the wider Higher Education sector.

However, if Academic Tutors are excluded, the largest age band of academics at Sunderland remains at 51 to 55. This in contrast to London, where the largest age band of professional and support staff is 26 to 30.

An academic teaching a group of students

The proportion of female staff at Sunderland is 60.7%. However, at London, only 47.1% are female, which compares to 54.6% across the sector.

Females were in the majority amongst academic staff at Sunderland (53.6%), whereas at London and across the sector, males are in the majority, with only 41.8% of academic staff being female at London and 47.9% across the sector.

Four people sitting down on a sofa listening to and watching something off camera

The proportion of staff with a self-declared disability has grown for the sixth consecutive year to 11.1% (up from 9.2% in 2021/22 and all the way from 2.7% in 2016/17). This is significantly higher than the Higher Education sector which, despite also increasing year on year, is 6.8%. London campus is below the sector at 5.9%, unless Academic Tutors are excluded, where it is 7.7%.

An academic standing at the front of a classroom, presenting to a class full of students who are listening

The proportion of ethnic minority staff varies drastically when split by campus, with ethnic minority staff representing only 8.6% of staff at Sunderland compared to ethnic minority staff being in the majority at London with 62.6% of staff. The proportion also varies for the proportion of staff from outside the UK, with 39.1% of London staff being from outside of the UK compared to 7.4% at Sunderland.

An academic at a conference listening to a person who is standing with them

Excluding unknowns, London staff are more religious with 80.3% following a religion compared to 49.7% at Sunderland. However, Sunderland is more in line with the Higher Education sector where the proportion stands at 48.6%.

Of those that did select a religion, the majority follow Christianity, with this religion being selected by more staff than the remaining religions combined at both campuses and across the sector. At London, Christianity is followed by more than twice as many people than follow ‘No religion’.

A group of students relaxing on the grass at City Campus on a sunny day

Of staff that have declared their sexuality, both campuses have a lower proportion declaring a Sexual Orientation other than heterosexual than the rest of the Higher Education sector (7.4% at Sunderland and 4.5% at London compared to 8.4% across the sector). The proportion has increased overall compared to last year (7.1% from 5.7%) and despite the proportion also increasing across the sector (from 7.5%), the gap has reduced again.

Contact us

We welcome feedback on equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Please contact our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion team, inclusion@sunderland.ac.uk or the Students' Union at yoursu@sunderland.ac.uk.