The Athena Swan Charter is a framework used to support and transform gender equality within higher education and research. Institutions and departments can apply for Athena Swan Charter awards to recognise their gender equality efforts. There are three award levels, bronze, silver and gold.

Bronze department awards recognise that, in addition to institution-wide policies, the department is working to promote gender equality, and to identify and address challenges particular to the department and to the discipline. The department must also plan future actions.

ODID’s application outlined its work in promoting gender equality to date and our goals for the future. These focus on improving recruitment processes and offering better help with career progression for staff; measures to improve work-life balance; encouraging greater discussion of gender and diversity both within and outside the classroom; and the promotion of female role models, among other things.

'We are delighted with this award, which recognises the hard work of all those colleagues who prepared the application,' said Diego Sánchez-Ancochea, ODID Head of Department. 'Although the department has always taken gender inequality seriously, we know we can improve in many areas from hiring practices to teaching practices, from support to female researchers to student performance inequalities. The award gives us a unique opportunity to improve in all these areas in the context of our more ambitious agenda on equality and diversity'.

Find out more about Athena Swan.