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School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences








Athena SWAN

Trinity College Dublin School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences is delighted to announce its engagement with Athena SWAN which promotes gender and diversity equality in higher education. Trinity College Dublin currently holds an institutional Athena SWAN bronze award. For more information on Athena SWAN and TCD, please see https://www.tcd.ie/tcgel/athena-swan/

The School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences is committed to gender equality and is working towards accreditation by Athena SWAN. The Athena SWAN charter aims to support and encourage universities to work towards gender equality within the science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) disciplines.  The charter has since expanded to recognise work undertaken in arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law (AHSSBL), and in professional and support roles, and for trans staff and students. The charter now recognises work undertaken to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women.

The School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences is delighted to be the recipient of an Athena SWAN Bronze award in September 2021. Our successful application was led by Dr. Kathleen McTiernan and Head of School, Prof. Lorna Carson.

What is Athena SWAN?

The Athena SWAN Charter, launched in June 2005,  https://www.ecu.ac.uk/equality-charters/athena-swan/ was developed in conjunction with the Equality Challenge Unit to advance the representation of women in STEMM disciplines in higher education and research.

  • The Charter recognises and celebrates good employment practice in the recruitment, retention and promotion of women in STEMM
  • Submission are made in November and April, and awards are given for 3 years

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. Commit 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.

Contact Details

Current School Athena SWAN Champion
Dr. Sarah Sheridan
School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences
Trinity College Dublin
Dublin 2
Ireland edi-slscs@tcd.ie

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