Two Silver Athena SWAN awards announced for Leicester
We are delighted to announce the success of the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences and the Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation who have both achieved an Athena SWAN silver award. This level of award reflects the implementation of change and the demonstration of impact in addressing gender inequality and both departments have worked hard to achieve this prestigious accolade.
Equality Challenge Unit has today announced the most recent institutions and departments to receive an Athena SWAN award, the charter that recognises commitment to tackling gender inequality in higher education.
Professor Paul Boyle, President and Vice-Chancellor, said: “Receiving an Athena SWAN silver award is a mark of great commitment to gender equality and for two of our departments to attain this level demonstrates the great strides that the University of Leicester has made in tackling this issue. As a United Nations HeForShe 10x10x10 impact champion we have been vested with the challenge of making transformational advances in gender equality and being a beacon for the rest of the world. I am delighted that the efforts of our colleagues to create a more positive environment and make this aim a reality have been recognised."
Professor Philip Baker, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology and Dean of Medicine, said: “I am delighted that we have been awarded Silver Athena SWAN awards in the Departments of Cardiovascular Sciences and Infection, Immunity and Inflammation. I would like to congratulate the self-assessment teams in both departments, these awards reflect their outstanding hard work and commitment. We remain committed to challenging gender stereotypes across all aspects of our work and continue to develop an environment that has gender equality at its core. We look forward to embedding the ambitious activities outlined in our Athena SWAN action plans in the coming months.”
The University of Leicester signed up to the Athena SWAN Charter in 2006 and achieved its Institutional Athena SWAN Bronze Award in 2008 with renewals in 2011 and 2014. The Department of Health Sciences achieved the University’s first departmental silver award in 2013 and eight other Departments or Schools currently hold bronze awards (Cancer Studies, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Medical School, Molecular & Cell Biology, Neuroscience, Psychology & Behaviour and Physics & Astronomy).
Leicester also holds one of the first non-STEM ECU Gender Equality Charter Marks with the School of Museum Studies achieving a bronze award in 2014.