Computer and Information SciencesWhy Athena SWAN?

  • The Charter demonstrates the commitment to gender equality, good management practice and the advancement and promotion of careers of women in STEMM and gender equality more broadly
  • Research into the impact of Athena SWAN activity demonstrates that making Universities better workplaces for women improves the quality of workplaces for men as well
  • Athena SWAN recognises Positive Action that can be taken to redress gender inequality; it does not support, reward, or endorse Positive Discrimination which is, of course, illegal in the UK
  • Athena SWAN enhances both internal and external reputation through the development of initiatives which bring about longer term cultural change for the benefit of all staff and students
  • Demonstrating a commitment to equality and diversity is an essential component of successfully engaging with the Internationalisation agenda in terms of attracting the best staff and student talent; Research Excellence Framework; and Widening Participation work
  • UKRI includes Athena SWAN participation within its evidence of a commitment to Equality and Diversity by Institutions and Departments
  • EPSRC has also considered linking funding to Athena SWAN participation; it has not definitively ruled out linking funding in this way in the future
  • The EU Commission has announced that from 2022, institutions applying for Horizon Europe funding must have a gender strategy, and concrete resources attached to it