Equality and Diversity in Science

Equality and Diversity

Athena SWAN Bronze Award 2008

Professor Tiantian Zhang and Professor David Rawson with the Athena SWAN Charter for Women in Science Bronze Award 2008. Click on image to view bigger photo.

The Athena SWAN Charter (launched in June 2005) is a scheme which recognises and celebrates good employment practice for women working in science, engineering and technology (SET) in higher education and research.

The beliefs underpinning the Charter are:

The advancement of science, engineering and technology (SET) is fundamental to quality of life across the globe.
It is vitally important that women are adequately represented in what has traditionally been, and is still, a male-dominated area.
Science cannot reach its full potential unless it can benefit from the talents of the whole population, and until women and men can benefit equally from the opportunities it affords.

The University of Bedfordshire is committed to the advancement of the careers of women in SET and we were awarded with an Athena SWAN Bronze Award in July 2008 in recognition of our achievements following successful submission of collection and analysis of key data and development of action plans on gender equality in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) disciplines.

For more information, please contact Professor Tiantian Zhang: tiantian.zhang@beds.ac.uk

For more information on Athena SWAN and a list of current award holders go to www.athenaswan.org.uk