Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences receive first Athena SWAN Awards

The Schools of Histories, Languages and Cultures and Law and Social Justice have both achieved Bronze level Athena SWAN awards. These are the first two Schools in the Faculty to be awarded an Athena SWAN award. The Institute of Psychology, Health and Society within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences has also achieved its second Silver award.

At Bronze level, Athena SWAN awards recognise that a department has good understanding of gender equality issues for its staff and students and has a suitable action plan in place to address these. At Silver level, departments are assessed on how much impact these actions have had.

In 2015, the Athena SWAN criteria were became inclusive of arts and humanities departments. The criteria are also inclusive of Professional Services staff as well as academics and consider gender equality issues more broadly.

Executive Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor Fiona Beveridge said “I am delighted that the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences has got off to such a positive start in our Athena SWAN journey. There is a lot to do and this has been a learning exercise, but I am delighted that the hard work of these two Athena SWAN teams has paid off.”

School of Histories, Languages & Cultures

Dean for the School of Histories, Languages and Cultures, Professor Lin Foxhall said: “We are proud to have achieved the Athena Swan Bronze Award. Through our new School Equality and Diversity Committee, constituted as an outcome of our reflections during the Athena SWAN process, we look forward to implementing our plans for equality and diversity, and working towards a Silver Award in the near future.”

School of Law & Social Justice

Professor Debra Morris, who is Dean for the School of Law and Social Justice said: “This is an excellent achievement, and the hard work that went into producing our submission should be acknowledged and celebrated. Striving for equal opportunity is very much in line with our School values and I am thrilled that we have received this recognition.  We will now be working hard to ensure that the commitments made in our submission will be transformed into actions and results”

Institute of Psychology, Health & Society

Dean for the Psychology, Health and Society, Professor Tom Walley, said: “I am very pleased that the hard work put into our Institute’s Athena SWAN activity has resulted Silver level award. We have witnessed many positive changes in our Institute as a direct result of our Athena SWAN work and I am confident that we are moving towards ensuring equality on all levels for all staff.”

The University holds a Silver level award overall and 14 academic departments hold eight Bronze, five Silver and one Gold award.

For further information on Athena SWAN at the University please visit: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/hr/diversityandequality/athenaswan/