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Office of the President and Provost (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion)

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Athena Swan at UCL

The Athena Swan Charter recognises and celebrates good gender equality practices in higher education.

Athena Swan at UCL

The Athena Swan Charter recognises and celebrates good practice in advancing gender equality in higher education. At UCL we use the Athena Swan framework to understand where barriers remain and to design sustainable, evidence-based actions that improve representation, progression and the working environment for all staff. UCL is preparing a Gold institutional submission, planned for 2026, as the next step in this work. 

Why Athena Swan matters

Athena Swan provides a structured, reflective process for universities and departments to analyse data, listen to staff and students, and embed change that improves outcomes over time. Our work through Athena Swan is part of UCL’s broader commitment to embedding equality in everyday decisions and institutional systems. 

Timeline of institutional achievements 

  • 2006 – UCL was among the early signatories and was awarded its first university-wide Bronze award.  

  • 2009 & 2012 – Bronze award renewed, maintaining a long-running institutional commitment to the Charter.  

  • 2015 – UCL awarded institutional Silver (first institutional Silver).  

  • 2019–2021 – Continued implementation of the institutional action plan; Silver award renewed in 2021 and a 2021–26 action plan was published. Key achievements included progress on promotions and departmental engagement.  

  • 2023 – UCL reaffirmed its commitment under the Transformed Athena Swan Charter, aligning our approach with the charter’s refreshed emphasis on culture and inclusion across all staff and student groups.  

  • 2024–2026 (current focus) – Building on past progress, UCL is preparing a Gold institutional submission in 2026 and aligning institutional systems (promotion frameworks, data dashboards and central support) to support that submission. 

What we are focusing on next (2024–2026) 

UCL’s preparation for an Athena Swan gold submission is not just a headline; it reflects a programme of work that will strengthen the systems and culture that support parity of career opportunities and outcomes. Key priorities include: 

  • embedding intersectional analysis across our Athena Swan and wider equality work 

  • strengthening promotion pathways and support for colleagues at lecturer and early-career grades 

  • targeted interventions (mentoring, sponsorship and positive action) to improve application success for under-represented groups 

  • closer engagement with Professional Services and teaching staff career frameworks 

  • improved monitoring and transparent reporting to faculties, EMAG and the EDI Committee 

These priorities will be supported through central resources, clearer governance, regular monitoring and an outcomes-focused approach to the 2026 Gold submission. 

UCL downloadable submissions and action plans 

  • Athena Swan 2026 Submission and Action Plan – coming soon 

Key highlights from our institutional work 

(These are short, evidence-based points visitors often look for.) 

  • Continued impact of a reformed Senior Academic Promotions framework: over 30% of professors at UCL are now female.  

  • Improved gender balance in academic leadership: female Heads of Departments increased to 30% (2019), up from 15.9% (2014).  

  • Widespread departmental engagement: by April 2024, 51 departments, divisions and institutes held Athena Swan awards (26 Bronze, 20 Silver, 5 Gold). 

Support and advice for staff and students 

In 2020, a new Microsoft SharePoint site was launched, providing support:  

  • Information on Athena Swan 

  • Departmental submissions and key contacts   

  • Guidance on developing Athena Swan submissions  

 

 

 

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