Athena SWAN
The Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering was awarded an Athena SWAN bronze award in May 2018.
The Athena SWAN Charter was established by the Equality Challenge Unit to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine in higher education and research. In May 2015 the charter was expanded to include other disciplines, and to address gender equality issues for women and men, across all staff and students.
With that accreditation given by the UK Athena Swan Charter, the department follows the approved action plan it (provided during its application for the award) to advance equality in representation, progression, and success for all. The department is held accountable through its DICE Committee, which includes staff and students of the department. The members have a range of cultural experience, family/caring responsibilities, and represent the range of job families as well as management/leadership roles both in the college and externally.
To ensure that we have full equality of opportunity for female and male staff and students, over the next four years we will:
- monitor staff and student data, to ensure that any gender inequalities and unconscious biases are highlighted as early as possible
- promote the benefits of flexible working arrangements, support for maternity, paternity and adoptive leave, and career breaks
- improve our recruitment processes including advertising and shortlisting
- improve career development and promotion opportunities across all job families, ensuring that women do not experience barriers to success
- increase representation of women in the department, promote our women's society and invite women speakers, ensure more women are represented on department committees
- ensure the communication of our Athena Swan goals and provide regular formal progress updates