The Athena Swan Charter was established to support and transform gender equality within higher education (HE) and research. Established in 2005 to encourage the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment, the Charter is now used across the globe to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women. 

We are delighted to announce that the Department of Archaeology has been recognised with a Bronze Award from the Athena Swan Charter. 

Dr Elizabeth DeMarrais, who led the self-assessment team, said: "On behalf of the entire team, I am so pleased to receive this news.  Our work on the Bronze Award energised our equality and diversity efforts, focused attention on significant contributions of women across the Department and facilitated our engagements with recent social justice movements. The award is a welcome milestone as our efforts continue to widen participation and support diversity in all of our activities."

Commenting on the award, Head of Department, Professor Cyprian Broodbank, said: “I am delighted that the Department of Archaeology has received an Athena SWAN Bronze Award. This is testament to the hard work and commitment of staff and students to strive towards achieving equity, diversity and inclusion within and beyond our community. 

I am especially grateful to the self-assessment team, and to all students and staff who provided or interpreted data for the application, for their tireless efforts in undertaking this sincere and intersectional reflection on our equality-driven work so far and for committing us to implementing comprehensive action over the coming years.”  

Established in 2005 to “encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment,” the Charter is now used to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women.  

By being part of Athena Swan, the Department commits to a progressive Charter, adopting the Charter’s ten key principles within our policies, practice, action plans and culture. The key principles are:  

• We acknowledge that academia cannot reach its full potential unless it can benefit from the talents of all.

• We 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. 

• We 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) 

• We commit to tackling the gender pay gap. 

• We 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. 

• We commit to addressing the negative consequences of using short-term contracts for the retention and progression of staff in academia, particularly women. 

• We commit to tackling the discriminatory treatment often experienced by trans people. 

• We 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. 

• We 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.