A Glasgow academic has been told she can appeal an employment tribunal decision which concluded that she was not a victim of discrimination after she was "passed over" for promotion.

Professor Jeanette Findlay, who is president of UCU Scotland, lost her sex discrimination fight against the University of Glasgow but the institution was urged to review its procedures for helping staff progress in their careers.

She claimed her application to be made a Professor of Economics was rejected by the university on account of her gender.

However, an employment judge agreed with the university, that the 63-year-old's application was turned down in 2020 because she did not meet the promotion criteria and it was "unconnected to her sex".

Prof Findlay is now pursuing an appeal of that decision, which was made in January and attended a preliminary hearing last week where a judge ruled that there was merit in her case.

The Herald:

The matter has now been referred to a full hearing in the New Year.

The judge’s decision to approve an appeal is said to have centred on a number of issues including the evidence of Professor John Finch, former Head of the Adam Smith Business School.

Prof Finch, who was in charge of overseeing promotions, told the hearing that he had not supported Ms Findlay effectively and agreed she had been treated unfairly.

He said mentoring was important, specifically in the case of female academics because of "under-representation."

READ MORE: University of Glasgow departmental head admits professor 'treated unfairly'

Ms Findlay accused the departmental leader of exaggerating the achievements of a male comparator, who did achieve promotion at that time and he admitted that he may have failed to recognise some of her own.

While the full panel rejected her claim of sex discrimination at an employment tribunal held last August, the university was advised by them to review its mentoring, career development and academic promotion policies.

READ MORE: Jeanette Findlay lodges complaint over tribunal judge's comments 

The tribunal was told that as of January 2020, there had never been a woman promoted to a Chair in Economics at Glasgow University in the entire history of the university from its foundation in 1451.

Professor Anton Muscatelli said during the hearing that it was “shameful” so few women were promoted to senior roles and the university has set a target to achieve a 50/50 gender split.

The university did not comment on Professor Findlay's appeal.