NewsBronze Athena Swan awards for Education and Humanities

The Department of Education and the School of Humanities have secured Bronze level Athena Swan awards for their progress towards advancing gender equality.

The Athena Swan Charter, managed by Advance HE, is a framework to support and transform gender equality within higher education (HE) and research. Members can apply for institutional and departmental Athena Swan awards recognising their gender equality efforts.

The Charter covers the representation of women (and men where appropriate) in academic and professional and managerial and support staff roles. It addresses their journey through career milestones and the working environment for all staff. The Charter also looks at the progression of students into academia.  

Strathclyde holds an institutional Athena Swan award, with 15 departmental awards also currently held, including a Faculty level award for Strathclyde Business School.

Professor David Kirk, lead on Athena Swan for the School of Education said: "We are delighted to receive the Athena Swan Bronze Award. The production of the successful application was a real team effort and involved colleagues from across the School.

"Engagement with the Athena Swan process allowed us to record formally those aspects of the organisational and pedagogical practices within the School that promote gender equality, as well as identifying where improvements need to be made.

"The Action Plan will be given priority and, indeed, we have appointed a Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing who will lead on our commitment to continuous improvement. Through the Athena Swan process we have been able to identify how to better support and celebrate gender equitable practice in all its forms."

Professor Nigel Fabb, Athena Swan lead for the School of Humanities, said: "Our committee of staff and students in the School of Humanities worked productively together to gain this award, in the context of a supportive student and staff body, and under the leadership of Professor Kirstie Blair as Head of School.

"We could not have achieved the award without the support we were offered, and the advice we sought, from colleagues across the University – notably, the Access, Equality and Inclusion unit. We plan to build on our findings, and develop the actions needed to address structural problems through our Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion committee."