Athena SWAN

Recognising significant commitment and progress towards gender equality in all that we do.

The University has engaged with the Athena SWAN (AS) Charter for gender equality since its inception in 2005. Advance HE’s  AS Charter is a framework that is used across the globe to support and transform gender equality within higher education and research. We’ve held an Institutional Silver award since 2015, and were the first Scottish institution to achieve this level of award. 

We remain committed to progressing equality, diversity and inclusion in all its forms. Our action plan takes into account the specific needs and responsibilities of women, non-binary and gender-diverse people, and the intersection of gender and other protected characteristics. 

The University of Edinburgh successfully achieved AS Institutional Silver in 2015, (first in Scotland) and has successfully renewed this award in 2018 and 2024. 

Athena Swan Institutional Silver Award Certificate 2024

 

We won our first University award, AS Institutional Bronze, in 2006, and successfully renewed in this award in 2009 and 2012.

The University of Edinburgh has continued to strengthen its commitment to gender, with all eligible Schools within the University having achieved an AS award since 2006, as outlined below:

Roslin InstituteGold2023
University of EdinburghSilver2024
Edinburgh College of ArtSilver2023
Edinburgh Business SchoolSilver2022
School of DivinitySilver2018
School of Health in Social ScienceSilver2024
School of History, Classics and ArchaeologySilver2021
Edinburgh Clinical Medical School: Deaneries of Clinical Sciences & Molecular Genetic and population Health ScienceSilver2021
The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary StudiesSilver2019
School of Biological SciencesSilver2016
School of ChemistrySilver2022
School of InformaticsSilver2024
School of Physics & AstronomySilver2023
Health in Social ScienceBronze2018
School of EconomicsBronze2016
School of LawBronze2017
School of Literature, Languages and CulturesBronze2017
School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language ScienceBronze2017
School of Social and Political SciencesBronze2017
Deanery of Biomedical SciencesBronze2023
School of EngineeringBronze2020
School of GeosciencesBronze2022
School of MathematicsBronze2017
Shows the different schools which hold Athena Swan awards

Athena SWAN Charter

Athena SWAN is an equality charter mark framework and accreditation scheme established and managed by Advance HE in 2005 that recognises and celebrates good practices in higher education and research institutions towards the advancement of gender equality: representation, progression and success.

Universities who sign up to the charter are invited  to apply for an AS award, at Bronze, Silver or Gold level. Each award is valid for five years.

The AS charter was established in 2005 and the first awards were given in 2006. The initial charter set out to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) institutions of higher education and research.

In May 2015 the charter was expanded to include non-STEMM departments including arts, humanities, social sciences, business, and law. Additionally, it expanded to cover additional communities including professional and support staff, technical staff, as well as transgender staff and students. The first awards to non-STEMM university departments were announced in April 2016. The new charter recognises work undertaken to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women.

 

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