More than 300 awards for progress in promoting equality in higher education were celebrated at a special awards event hosted by Advance HE at the two-day Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Conference 2024 in Liverpool.
Recipients of the gender equality award, Athena Swan, and the Race Equality Charter to improve representation for Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff and students in higher education, joined the event to recognise their progress and receive their awards.
Those who attended were among the 278 departments and 39 universities and research institutes that successfully achieved an award for either gender or race equality between October 2022 and November 2023. Some departmental Athena Swan applicants from 2022 who had their celebration delayed due to Covid were also in attendance.
Dedication to race equality
Anne Mwangi, Head of the Race Equality Charter, welcomed guests to the 2024 event and encouraged a round of applause for De Montfort University and The University of Manchester, for being the first institutions to secure the prestigious Race Equality Charter Silver award. She said,
“The independent review panel commended them for their dedication to improving race equality in higher education, recognising their strides in diversifying the workforce across anchor employers in the region. Their commitment is not just institutional; it's a catalyst for change across the sector.
Notable achievements for gender equality
“Equally, we celebrate the remarkable achievement of the University of Nottingham, which stands tall as the first institution to achieve the Athena Swan Gold award. To achieve Gold, the University demonstrated a profound commitment to promoting and improving gender equality institution-wide. The panel was particularly impressed by their collaborative efforts to diversify the workforce in Nottinghamshire, reaching beyond the boundaries of academia to influence positive change in the broader community.
“We must also extend our congratulations to Reading Technical Services at Silver, for being the first professional, technical and operational (PTO) Directorate to be awarded the Athena Swan. Their dedication to showing parity for PTO staff reflects the inclusivity we strive for in all aspects of our institution. Their commitment sends a powerful message about the value we place on every role within our academic community.”
David Bass, Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Advance HE, delivered a keynote speech at the event, stating his admiration for:
“...each one of you who tirelessly and passionately works towards fostering diversity and inclusion in higher education, especially in the face of challenging societal contexts.
“These milestones are not just acknowledgments of institutional success; they are affirmations of our collective steadfast dedication to equality, diversity and inclusion in higher education and wider society.”
Among those conferred a Race Equality Charter (REC) award were:
The Silver award is testament to the hard work of staff and students who tackled racial inequity and supported the development of processes that led to our progress."Kaushika Patel, Director for Decolonising DMU, De Montfort University
We are so proud of achieving the REC Bronze award and the recognition it gives us of having a solid foundation underpinning our actions to improve race equality across Middlesex University.”John Soper, Director of Inclusion and Wellbeing, Middlesex University
Achieving the University of Sussex’s first REC Bronze award feels like a very significant milestone for us in understanding, acknowledging and continuing our race equity work.”Isobel Pearce, Assistant Director of HE: Culture, Equality and Inclusion, University of Sussex
Athena Swan institutional awards
Our Gold Award is testament to the tireless work of generations of people (mostly women) who have strived to improve gender equality at our university.”Professor Katherine Linehan, PVC for EDI and People and Dr Tamsin Majerus, Associate Professor, Life Sciences and Institutional Athena Swan lead, University of Nottingham
This Silver award represents a huge achievement for us because it shows that change is happening at all levels across the University, not just centrally.”Jennifer Chapin, Policy Advisor, Gender Equality and Athena Swan University of Oxford
Athena Swan departmental awards
Achieving our Gold award has been a significant achievement and an important aspect of the application was our approach to addressing intersectional inequalities and disadvantages looking across gender, ethnicity, disability and other relevant characteristics."Dr Ceri Butler, Senior Lecturer in Medical Education and Suze Cruttwell, EDI Projects Officer, Brighton and Sussex Medical School (University of Brighton and University of Sussex)
We are very proud to be awarded Silver status – Strathclyde Business School is committed to ensuring a diverse, inclusive and supportive environment for all. We will continue to make our business school an environment where everyone can flourish regardless of gender.”
Professor David Hillier, Associate Principle and Executive Dean, Strathclyde Business School, University of Strathclyde
Getting an Athena Swan Bronze award was truly a team effort, and it was fantastic to see the engagement and enthusiasm of all colleagues and students involved in the process. We look forward to this being a catalyst for further initiatives and programs to enhance the overall experience of everyone in the department.”Professor Stephanie Schnurr, Athena Swan Academic Lead & Director of PGR, Department of Applied Linguistics, University of Warwick