By Will Charley, Comment Editor
The University of Bristol has received its first Athena SWAN Award for a non-STEMM subject, with the Law School receiving a Bronze Award.
First established in 2005 to reward efforts made in advancing women’s careers in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) within higher education; the Athena SWAN Awards were expanded in 2015 to recognise the advancement of gender equality in all higher education departments.
It has not been until this year that the University of Bristol received its first non-STEMM award, bringing the University’s total number of Athena SWAN Awards to 15, including an institutional Bronze Award.
The Law School is delighted to announce that our application for an Athena Swan Bronze Award has been successful, seeing the Law School become the first non-STEM School in the University to receive an Athena SWAN award: https://t.co/RSFvJ0kcZX #athenaswan pic.twitter.com/YVZavfl5n9
— Bristol Law School (@BristolUniLaw) October 29, 2018
Professor Charlotte Villiers, the Athena SWAN Lead for the Law School, said: ‘The Law School is vibrant, diverse and inclusive. Our new Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Committee will now be taking forward plans that will benefit all students and staff in the school in the future years’.
Two other departments also won Athena SWAN Awards this year with the School of Biological Sciences winning a Silver Award and the School of Chemistry maintaining its Bronze Award.
University schools win Athena SWAN Awards! https://t.co/gTxKse7iE9 @BristolBioSci has risen from a Bronze to a Silver Award, recognising the commitment of its staff to inclusivity and diversity and the progress they have demonstrated @BristolChem @bristolunilaw @AdvanceHE pic.twitter.com/xs5u75S6IV
— UoBristol Bio Sci (@BristolBioSci) November 2, 2018
A spokesperson for the School of Biological Sciences said they were ‘immensely proud’ of their progress towards inclusivity, whilst the head of Chemistry stated that the school was ‘committed to achieving even more in the future’.
Featured Image: Epigram / Cameron Scheijde
Are there any other departments which deserve the award? Let us know
