The University of Essex has shown its ongoing commitment to gender equality by now having 12 departments earning an Athena Swan award. Athena Swan awards are managed by Advance HE – a British charity and professional membership scheme promoting excellence in higher education. The awards are to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing gender equality in higher education for staff and students.
As part of the Athena Swan submission, departments commit to an ambitious five-year action plan which ensures they are even more inclusive, respectful and fair.
Since the introduction of Athena Swan at Essex there have been many new benefits to staff and students including a revised work-life balance policy, Parent Support Network, unconscious bias training, trans policy and guidance, and dedicated recruitment advertising to attract women into STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) roles.
Athena Swan awards are also given at institutional level. The University of Essex currently holds a Bronze award and will be submitting an application for an Institutional Silver award in November 2022.
Essex departments that have bronze awards are: the Department of Economics, the Department of Government, the Department of History, School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, the Department of Language and Linguistics, the Department of Mathematical Science, the Department of Sociology, Essex Business School and the Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies. The Department of Psychology, School of Life Sciences and School of Health and Social Care hold silver awards.
Find out more on the University of Essex Athena Swan pages.
