FNS receives Athena SWAN Silver award at ceremony in SETU, Carlow.
FNS receives Athena SWAN Silver award at ceremony in SETU, Carlow.
The School of Food and Nutritional Sciences (FNS) proudly received the Athena Swan Silver Award from AdvanceHE at a ceremony held on 12 November in SETU Carlow. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the School’s commitment to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, and makes FNS the first unit in UCC to attain Silver status.
The award reflects years of collective effort across the School—examining practices, listening to the community, and taking meaningful action to remove barriers and create opportunities at every level. It also recognises the positive impact of these initiatives and the School’s ambitious, evidence-based plans to continue advancing equality, diversity, and inclusion.
The review panel praised the application as “clear and comprehensive,” highlighting impactful measures to promote gender balance, staff and student wellbeing, and a fair and respectful working culture. These efforts demonstrate FNS’s dedication to embedding EDI principles across teaching, research, and operations.
Professor Alan Kelly, Head of the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, said:
“This award is a tremendous achievement for our School. It recognises the collective efforts of our staff and students in fostering an inviting, collegial environment that supports learning, research, and professional growth.”
Sarah Fink, Head of Athena Swan Ireland, added:
“This Silver Athena Swan award highlights the fantastic commitment of University College Cork, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, in bringing about change through impactful and sustainable gender equality initiatives in higher education across Ireland. Congratulations to all those who work so hard to achieve and sustain this recognition.”
UCC also received the Institutional Silver Award at the same ceremony, underscoring the University’s broader mission to champion equality and diversity.
Together we look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to champion an inclusive, supportive future for all.
School of Food and Nutritional Sciences
Contact us
School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Room 240 Food Science Building, University College, Cork