What is Athena SWAN?

The Athena SWAN Charter recognises and celebrates good practice in recruiting, retaining and promoting women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) in higher education. The Charter aims to address gender imbalances in STEMM disciplines, based on the belief that endeavours in these fields will be enriched when they can benefit from the talent of the whole population, and when barriers to progress in academic careers are removed.

Since its launch in 2005, the Athena SWAN programme has been widely implemented in the UK higher education sector, where it is run by the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU). The Charter was expanded to Ireland in 2014 on a pilot basis, managed by ECU and supported by the HEA. By signing the Charter, the Irish universities and Institutes of Technology have made a progressive commitment to embed its six principles in their policies, practices and culture.

The (original) Charter Principles

1. To address gender inequalities requires commitment and action from everyone, at all levels of the organisation

2. To tackle the unequal representation of women in science requires changing cultures and attitudes across the organisation

3. The absence of diversity at management and policy-making levels has broad implications which the organisation will examine

4. The high loss rate of women in science is an urgent concern which the organisation will address

5. The system of short-term contracts has particularly negative consequences for the retention and progression of women in science, which the organisation recognises

6. There are both personal and structural obstacles to women making the transition from PhD into a sustainable academic career in science, which require the active consideration of the organisation “For more information on Athena SWAN in Ireland