Athena Swan Silver Award 

In March 2024 the Department was successful in being awarded a Silver Athena Swan Award which is an externally awarded gender-equality charter mark in recognition of the ongoing work we are doing around EDI-related issues.  This includes work on building a sense of belonging and community within the Department, intersectionality, student attainment, promotion outcomes, supporting fixed-term staff and career development for professional and support staff. 

A copy of the Department’s Athena Swan Silver application and action plan is available here:  

Award Highlights  

• Formation of the Departmental Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Group (EDIG) 

• An increase in the number of women being promoted to academic grades 9-10. 

• Decolonising the curriculum guidance 

• Mentoring training for academic staff 

• LGBTQI+ staff and student coffee gatherings 

• Improving career development for professional support staff. 

Athena Swan Award Key Priorities 2024-2029 

1. Develop and improve embedding of gender equality and wider EDI actions  within Departmental  work and activities. 

1. Review gendered and intersectional differences in undergraduate, postgraduate and taught postgraduate attainment 

1. Improve experience and management of academic workload   

1. Improve and Embed Career Support for Professional Support Staff 

1. Increase departmental support for fixed-term (FT) academic staff 

1. Providing support and  removing barrier to improve rates of  women’s  promotion across academic grades 8-10 

If you have any questions about the Department’s Athena Swan Silver Award and/or would like to get involved, please contact Rachel Colls (Department Athena Swan Lead): rachel.colls@durham.ac.uk