September NUI Galway secures renewed Athena SWAN Bronze Award

Progression of gender equality sees a total of eight Schools in the University now accredited with Bronze Award status

 NUI Galway commended for actions to progress representation of women at senior academic grades, particularly Senior Lecturer and Personal Professor roles

NUI Galway has secured a renewed Bronze Athena SWAN Award in recognition of the University’s continued progression on gender equality.

The renewal of the award highlighted a range of initiatives being taken at the University since 2016/17, including improvement in the representation of women in senior academic roles.

The proportion of female staff holding the role of senior lecturer at NUI Galway increased from 33% in 2016/17 to 47% in 2020/21.

The proportion of female staff holding the role of personal professor in the University increased from 16% to 28% over the same period.

Bronze award status has also been granted to five of NUI Galway’s Schools in the latest award round, taking the total of school awards to eight.

President of NUI Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, said: “I would like to congratulate my colleagues in NUI Galway and in each of the schools on receiving the Athena SWAN Bronze Awards.

“This ‘clean sweep’ of awards this year, with each application being successful, is a true reflection of the excellent work and dedication of all those involved.

“I am delighted that NUI Galway has renewed its Bronze Award status, as a clear appreciation of the University’s commitment to advancing equality to all our staff and students in line with our values of openness and respect.

“I note in particular, and welcome, the panel’s particular commendation of our academic promotions process and the ‘positive impact’ it has had with regard to gender representation. This is work as yet unfinished and the responsibility of us all.”

Aoife Cooke, Head of Equal Opportunities at NUI Galway, said: “The success of our Schools in the recent award round is particularly encouraging as it provides evidence of embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion in our culture and addresses the different equality challenges and development priorities in our communities.”

The School of Medicine also secured a renewal of a Bronze Athena SWAN Award. It has seen significant progression in women in senior academic grades, including women in Senior Lecturer roles going from 38% in 2016/17 to 50% in 2020/21; and women in Personal Professor roles increasing from 8% in 2016/17 to 28% in 2020/21.

The other Bronze Awards went to first time applicants - the Schools of Natural Sciences; Psychology; Chemistry; and Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics.

NUI Galway’s School of Nursing & Midwifery secured a Bronze Award in April 2021. The School of Physics and the School of Business secured Bronze Awards in 2020.

The Athena SWAN Charter is an accreditation framework that is used across the globe to support and transform gender equality in higher education and research. Athena SWAN launched in Ireland in 2015.

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