The Engineering Department is delighted to announce that it has achieved a Bronze Athena SWAN award in recognition of its ongoing commitment to gender equality for staff and students. The award, made by the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU), is the first award for the department under the expanded Athena SWAN Charter and is awarded for a period of four years.

Sarah Green, Deputy Head of the Engineering Department and Chair of the department’s self-assessment team said: “I would like to congratulate all those involved in the achievement of this award - it is great news for the whole department. The Bronze award recognises our solid foundation upon which to build and presents us with an excellent opportunity to show leadership in advancing gender equality across all our teaching, research and outreach activity.”

Athena SWAN Charter

ECU’s Athena SWAN Charter was established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment in higher education and research. In May 2015 the charter was expanded to recognise work undertaken in arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law (AHSSBL), and in professional and support roles, and for trans staff and students. The charter now recognises work undertaken to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women. Membership of the Charter also can help universities fulfil their public sector equality, duty, work towards sustaining equitable working environments and identify themselves as employers of choice, not only to their staff, but to students, funders, Research Councils and industry.