Athena Swan at a Glance
Athena Swan (AS) is an equality charter mark and accreditation scheme.
AS was first established in 2005 in the UK and recognises the advancement of gender equality in higher education. The Athena Swan Charter principles outline commitments to achieving gender equality and to creating an inclusive and supportive work environment, which can indirectly contribute to addressing care-related challenges.
The AS charter was launched in the Republic of Ireland in 2015. Since then, Academic Departments and Professional Units and Irish HE Institutions, can make an AS application to recognise their commitment to institutional change and their plans to address systemic inequality. If successful, a Bronze Award is awarded, which must be renewed every four years. If significant improvements are made, an application may be made for a Silver and ultimately a Gold Award.
Dublin Institute of Technology received an Athena Swan Bronze Award in 2017. After the establishment of TU Dublin in 2019, Advance HE conferred a Legacy award in recognition of the ongoing gender equality work of the new TU.
TU Dublin adopted the Athena Swan Charter principles in 2022 and achieved an Athena Swan Bronze award the same year in recognition of its commitment to advancing gender equality. The institutional Athena Swan action plan includes interventions designed to reduce inequalities experienced by staff and students with caring responsibilities. These include stronger promotion and application of flexible and blended working policies and the establishment of Employee Community Groups for carers. The school of Maths at TU Dublin made a successful application in September 2022.
Within the application process there was a Self-Assessment Process (SAT). The Director of Equality Diversity and Inclusion, Professor Yvonne Galligan, led the TU Dublin Institutional Athena SWAN Application and Action Plan. The Athena SWAN Working Group (ASWG) was formed in March 2020 and had 19 members. An expanded SAT was formed (44 people in total) in May 2020. Membership of the SAT was through open call, attentive to gender balance and diversity in background and experience. The SAT were divided into 4 subgroups: Communications; Data collection (survey, focus groups; HR, staff and student data); Organisational Culture and; Policy.
The areas that must be covered in AS applications in Ireland are: Gender Balance in Leadership and Decision-making; Recruitment and career progression and; Organisational culture and work-life balance and are outlined below with recourse to key findings and to priority actions.
The current institutional Athena Swan award is valid until 2025. Work is now underway to renew the institutional Bronze award with submission planned for November 2025.