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The City Law School is committed to being a fair, inclusive, respectful and diverse place to work and study, which values all its staff and students equally.

Athena SWAN (Scientific Women Academic Network) is a prestigious award given to institutes in recognition of the results and commitments to advancing women.

Athena SWAN was launched in June 2005, to recognise commitment to advancing and promoting women's careers in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment. From April 2015, the charter was expanded to recognise departments in Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Business and Law.

It recognises and celebrates good employment practice in the recruitment, retention and promotion of women.

Charter Principles

The Athena SWAN Charter is based on ten key principles:

  1. Acknowledgement that academia cannot reach its full potential unless it can benefit from the talents of all
  2. Commitment to advancing gender equality in academia
  3. Commitment to addressing unequal gender representation across academic disciplines and professional and support functions
  4. Commitment to tackling the gender pay gap
  5. Commitment to removing the obstacles faced by women at major points of career development and progression
  6. Commitment to addressing the negative consequences of using short-term contracts for the retention and progression of staff in academia
  7. Commitment to tackling the discriminatory treatment often experienced by trans people
  8. Acknowledgement that advancing gender equality demands commitment and action from all levels of the organisation and in particular active leadership from those in senior roles
  9. Commitment to making sustainable structural and cultural changes to advance gender equality
  10. Commitment to considering the intersection of gender and other factors wherever possible.

Awards

In 2023, The City Law School was awarded a Bronze award in recognition of its commitment to improve gender equality.

The School was praised for the structures and processes it had put in place to address gender and intersectional inequalities and for recognising gender equality work.

The school will next renew their award in 2028.

We aspire to being the best law school to work and study in the UK, where all staff and students can flourish and fulfil their potential

– Richard Ashcroft, Executive Dean.

What is The City Law School doing?

The City Law School’s work on gender equality is led by the Associate Dean for Equality Diversity and Inclusion, Sabrina Germain. All initiatives are overseen by The City Law School Equality Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

For the realisation of the Action Plan part of The City Law School’s submission, projects in the following key areas will be undertaken:

  • Organisation and culture
  • Appointment and selection process
  • Promotion process
  • Appraisal process
  • Career Development
  • Career Development for Early Career Researchers
  • Workplace Flexibility

I am thrilled, with the support of my colleague, to help lead transformational change taking an intersectional and inclusive approach.

– Sabrina Germain, Associate Dean for Equality Diversity and Inclusion

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments about the Athena SWAN process, or if you have any thoughts as to how to increase the number of women in senior roles within The City Law School.

You can submit any comments to: Law-Athenaswan@city.ac.uk.

See the Athena Swan Action Plan from The City Law School.