Athena SWAN in the University
Membership of the Athena SWAN Charter is open to any university or research institute which is committed to the advancement and promotion of the careers of women in science, engineering and technology (SET) in higher education and research.
Membership of the Charter, with its Bronze, Silver and Gold SWAN awards, can help universities fulfil their Gender Duty commitments, work towards sustaining equitable working environments and enable them to identify themselves as employers of choice, not only to their staff, but to students, funders, Research Councils and industry.
Edinburgh is one of the 42 universities and research institutes which are members of the SWAN Charter.
Athena Swan Awards
Athena SWAN awards recognise and celebrate good practice on recruiting, retaining and promoting women in SET in higher education. Universities must achieve a Bronze award before individual departments can apply for recognition at silver level in their own right.
The logic behind this is that it would be difficult, if not impossible, for a department to sustain the level of a Silver award without university support and underpinning university good practice policies and processes. Awards are valid for 3 years.
University of Edinburgh Athena SWAN awards
The University and the School of Chemistry were successful in renewing their respective Bronze and Silver Athena SWAN awards. Having held these awards since 2006 we were delighted to have received the news that the applications to renew the award for the next three year period were successful.
Many congratulations to the School of Biomedical Sciences of their success in achieving an Athena SWAN Silver Award in 2011.
Our Athena SWAN submissions:
- University Bronze renewal (PDF)
- University Action Plan (PDF)
- School of Chemsitry renewal (PDF)
- School of Chemistry Action Plan (PDF)
- School of Biomedical Sciences Silver (PDF)
- Roslin Institue Action Plan (PDF)
Our comittment
The University is strengthening its commitment to gender equality through extending its aim to increase the proportion of Schools achieving the Athena SWAN Silver Award for the recruitment and promotion of women in science.
This article was published on May 25, 2012