In May 2021, the School of Natural and Built Environment was awarded a Bronze Award by the Advance HE Athena Swan Panel. This prestigious award reflects the School’s commitment to the Athena Swan Charter on equality and inclusion and is conferred for five years. Over this period, a dedicated cross-disciplinary committee will continue to work with all staff and students to make the school more inclusive and supportive to everyone. This award reflects many years of hard work by a number of key people in SNBE including Dr Clare Mulholland, Dr Tristan Sturm and the late Prof Aileen Stockdale.

The School of the Natural and Built Environment have a dedicated Athena SWAN team who are responsible for advancing gender equality and embedding the Athena SWAN principles in the School, led by our SWAN Champion Clare Mulholland, discipline leads and Self Assessment Team.

Some of our achievements to date include: 

• Unconscious bias training for all members of the School Management Board (SMB) and Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team.
• A School Board dedicated to raising awareness of University and School policies on inappropriate behaviour.
• Posters relating to the Principles of the Athena SWAN Charter displayed in prominent locations throughout the School's buildings.
• Promotion of family-friendly policies.
• Introduction of core hours.
• Athena SWAN information included in presentations for student open days.
• Celebrating International Women's Day with the launch of our alumni Inspirational Women video
• Annual staff and PGR surveys (complemented by focus groups).
• Reviewing annual workload allocation models for potential gender-specific issues.
• Greater gender balance among research seminar speakers.

Queen’s University Belfast has been a member of the Athena SWAN Charter since 2005 and currently holds a prestigious Athena Swan Silver award. Athena SWAN Charter is committed to recognising advancement of gender equality: representation, progression and success for all. Further information about Athena Swan at Queen's.