Athena SWAN

ECU’s Athena SWAN Charter covers women (and men where appropriate) in:

• Academic roles in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) and (Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Business and Law) AHSSBL
• Professional and support staff
• Trans and non-binary staff and students.

In relation to their:

• Representation
• Progression of students into academia
• Journey through career milestones
• Working environment for all staff.

Key principles

The Athena Swan Charter is based on ten key principles. By being part of Athena Swan, institutions are committing to a progressive Charter; adopting these principles within their policies, practice, action plans and culture.

• To acknowledge that academia cannot reach its full potential unless it can benefit from the talents of all.
• To commit to advancing gender equality in academia, in particular, addressing the loss of women across the career pipeline and the absence of women from senior academic, professional and support roles.
• To commit to addressing unequal gender representation across academic disciplines and professional and support functions. In this we recognise disciplinary differences including:
  • the relative underrepresentation of women in senior roles in arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law (AHSSBL)
  • the particularly high loss rate of women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM)
• To commit to tackling the gender pay gap.
• To commit to removing the obstacles faced by women, in particular, at major points of career development and progression including the transition from PhD into a sustainable academic career.
• To commit to addressing the negative consequences of using short-term contracts for the retention and progression of staff in academia, particularly women.
• To commit to tackling the discriminatory treatment often experienced by trans people.
• To acknowledge that advancing gender equality demands commitment and action from all levels of the organisation and in particular active leadership from those in senior roles.
• To commit to making and mainstreaming sustainable structural and cultural changes to advance gender equality, recognising that initiatives and actions that support individuals alone will not sufficiently advance equality.
• All individuals have identities shaped by several different factors. We commit to considering the intersection of gender and other factors wherever possible.