The University of Galway wins a top award for recognition of gender equality in STEM
The prestigious Athena Swan Silver award for gender equality was presented to the School of Engineering at The University of Galway in September 2022.
It is the first time a school of Engineering in the Republic has achieved such a standard. It is a milestone for the College of Science and Engineering as they have won 5 Swan awards to date.
Commenting on the award, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science Simon Harris, T.D. congratulated the School of Engineering and said “It was a fantastic achievement for the university of Galway.”
University of Galway vice-president for Equality Helen Maher said: ” All of us at the University of Galway are sharing in the congratulations for the school of Engineering.” She continued: ” This latest award demonstrates that our efforts and our commitment on this outgoing journey are embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion in our culture and our collective responsibilities.”
Professor Walter Gear, Dean of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Galway said “It is fantastic and great recognition for Engineering to be the first school nationally to achieve Silver status, a process which also sets out our ambitions for the next four years.”
“We are very proud of this achievement which is the first of many steps required to create an equal opportunity environment while embedding the University’s values across all science and engineering subjects that are externally recognized as such, and which build a culture for a stronger intersectional approach where all our staff and students can fulfill their potential. “
Also commenting on the award was Professor Edward Jones, Head of the School of Engineering at the University of Galway, who said: “We are delighted with this achievement. This award is a significant endorsement of our efforts to date and of our future plans towards progressing gender equality.”
The Athena Swan Award was established in 2005 by the Equality Challenge Unit in the UK to reward further the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths, and medicine (STEM) employment in universities and research.
