York strikes Gold again
The Department of Psychology has been awarded a Gold Athena SWAN Award recognising the extraordinary work undertaken in the Department to improve gender equality.
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The award means that the University of York is now the first and only UK academic institution to hold three departmental Gold awards.
In the same round, the Centre for Health Economics (CHE) and Hull York Medical School (HYMS) have won Silver awards.
The University’s lead for Athena SWAN, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research Professor Deborah Smith, said: “I am thrilled that we are growing from strength to strength in our work at York to tackle persistent barriers to gender equality. Psychology’s Gold award and our new Silver awards show how our strong commitment to inclusion together with a lot of hard work really can create positive change for staff and students.”
The University of York has held Athena SWAN awards since the inception of the Athena SWAN Charter in 2006 and the new Gold award adds to those already held by the Departments of Chemistry (since 2007) and Biology (since 2013). This recognition celebrates the efforts undertaken at departmental and institutional level to advance the careers of everyone, regardless of gender.
Professor Beth Jefferies, Chair of the Psychology Department’s Athena SWAN Working Group, said: “We are delighted that our long-standing work on gender equality in the Department has been recognised in this way and that we can see real progress in developing a working environment that supports and benefits everyone. There is of course no room for complacency and this award will also be a spur to our work in the future.”
The Centre for Health Economics becomes the first department in the Faculty of Social Sciences to gain a Silver award.
Professor Maria Goddard, Director of CHE and Professor Rowena Jacobs, Athena SWAN Lead for CHE, said: "Everyone in CHE is absolutely thrilled with getting a Silver Athena SWAN award. This is recognition for the whole department of how we've worked together collaboratively to take forward actions that deliver the benefits of a truly inclusive and positive workplace culture that is making a real difference to staff and students."
Find out more about the Athena SWAN initiative: