The University of Bristol has been awarded a Bronze SWAN (Scientific Women’s Academic Network) Charter Award.

Bristol is one of only 17 institutions currently signed up to the Charter, and is very pleased to have achieved Bronze recognition.   The University will retain this Award until March 2009 and is planning to submit individual Departments for Silver Awards later this year. 

The beliefs underpinning the Charter principles are:

• The advancement of science, engineering and technology (SET) is fundamental to the quality of life across the globe;

• It is vitally important that women are adequately represented in what has traditionally been, and still is, 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.

Bristol signed up in 2005 to the SWAN Charter initiative and is proud to be one of the founder members of the scheme.  The University believes that membership of the Charter will help it work towards sustaining equitable working environments and identify Bristol as an employer of choice, not only to staff, but to students, funders, research councils and industry.

At Institutional Level, Bronze, Silver and Gold awards are available, and Departments are also able to achieve awards at Silver and Gold levels in their own right.  To achieve recognition, Charter members were required to submit a detailed description of activities and planned initiatives that support the aims of the Charter. 

Professor David Clarke, Pro Vice Chancellor and Chair of the SWAN Charter Group, said: “The Bronze Award is a very positive recognition of the work we are doing to further, in particular, women’s careers in SET subjects, and the Charter mechanism provides us with a framework within which we can continue to build on the foundations we have now set.

“I have been very encouraged by the enthusiasm and creativity of the SWAN Charter group, and I very much look forward to seeing the positive impact of the groups work over the coming years”.