Athena SWAN award

The Athena SWAN Charter is based on ten key principles. By being a part of this we are committing to a progressive charter; adopting these principles within our policies, practices, action plans and culture:

• We acknowledge that academia cannot reach its full potential unless it can benefit from the talents of all.
• We commit to advancing gender equality in academia in particular, addressing the loss of women across the career pipeline and the absence of women from senior academic, professional and support roles
• We commit to addressing unequal gender representation across academic disciplines and professional and support function, including the relative underrepresentation of women in senior roles in arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law (AHSSBL). As well as the particularly high loss rate of women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM).
• We commit to tackling the gender pay gap.
• We commit to removing the obstacles faced by women at major points of career development and progression, such as the transition from PhD into a sustainable academic career.
• We commit to addressing the negative consequences of using short-term contracts for the retention and progression of staff in academia.
• We commit to tackling the discriminatory treatment often experienced by trans people.
• We acknowledge that advancing gender equality demands commitment and action on all levels of our school and in particular active leadership from those in senior roles.
• We commit to making and mainstreaming sustainable structural and cultural changes to advance gender equality, recognising that initiatives and actions that support individuals alone will not sufficiently advance equality
• All individuals have identities shaped by several different factors.
• We commit to considering the intersection of gender and other factors wherever possible.

In 2015, the School was awarded an Athena SWAN Silver Award. We are passionate about creating an inclusive environment for all. In addition to University of Reading-wide policies, our Silver Award means that as a School we have identified particular challenges and are planning activities for the future.

• We have assessed where the School is regarding gender equality and diversity in quantitative (staff and student data) and qualitative (policies, practices, systems and arrangements) terms, identifying both challenges and opportunities.
• We have an action plan that builds on the assessment, the activities that are already in place and what has been learnt from these.
• We also have an organisational structure to carry proposed actions forward, namely an Equality Officer, and Wellbeing, Equality and Diversity Committee.
  
  

Please see our SAGES Athena SWAN Silver application and SAGES Athena SWAN Silver Action Plan.

1. To aspire to a culture of equality for our staff (academic, admin, research and technical) and students;
2. To enhance induction, communication and consultation processes within and between Archaeology, GES and SAGES;
3. To improve collegiality and achieve a more cohesive structure in SAGES;
4. To foster a supportive culture of mentoring, review (PDRs), training and promotion across SAGES (regardless of career stage).