The Athena Swan charter recognises work undertaken by higher education institutions to address gender equality through career progression, representation, and working environments, among other factors. The Charter is now used to address gender inequality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women.
The School of Economic, Social, and Political Sciences is home to a diverse range of core social science disciplines each of which tackle different challenges due to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). In the last five years, the School has experienced an increased visibility of the Athena Swan agenda and understanding and awareness of EDI issues. In 2023, our school successfully renewed its Bronze award, underscoring our community goal to promote gender equality and to identify and address challenges particular to the School.
For the next five years, we have set ambitious, but realistic and achievable goals. Our key priorities include continued work to increase the awareness of gender issues, reducing gender disparities in career progression, improving work conditions to support healthy work-life balance, increasing awareness among staff regarding the gendered challenges that students face, and reducing the gendered mental health and negative association gaps in our students. These goals are in line with the University's Strategic Plan for EDI Our Strategic Plan – Equality, Diversity and Inclusion to create an inclusive community.
Our Athena Swan Committee is made up of a wide range of staff from across the school:
Chair
Academics
These colleagues bring specific expertise to the committee:
Women in Economics: Exploring Diverse Career Paths and Empowering Futures - October 30, 2024
Are you passionate about economics and eager to explore the diverse career opportunities available in the field? Join us at our upcoming event, where professional economists from various sectors will share their insights and experiences, highlighting the vast array of career paths in the public sector, private sector, and academia.
The event is open to all students (irrespective of their gender) of the University of Southampton.
View registration and program of speaker details here.
Event particpants: Corrado Giulietti, Jo Swaffield, Valentina Tonei
Tips and Resources on Writing Narrative CVs - Friday 28 June 2024 09:00-10:00
What is a narrative CV? How do you prepare one? Where can I get examples? Take a look at our tips from a workshop organised by Athena Swan: Tips on Writing Narrative CVs.
Event participants: Dr Avi Boukli, Dr Maria Evandrou, Dr Nikos TzavidisOur annual video series celebrates the achievements of distinguished female academics within our school. The series, featured on platforms like TikTok and our University website, aims to inspire and engage both our academic community and the broader public.
In our first inaugural interview, we speak to Dr Maria Villares-Varela, an Associate Professor in Sociology. Maria tells us about the people in her life who encouraged her to take opportunities in higher education to have more freedom and increase self-actualization.
Visit the Athena Swan at Southampton page to discover more about the University's approach and actions.
Read the University-wide policies on equality, diversity and inclusion.