Staff members marking International Day of Persons with Disabilities, lighting St. Lawrence's church
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Athena Swan

Athena Swan

TU Dublin holds an Athena Swan Bronze Award in recognition of its commitment to advancing gender equality and the University's plans to address systemic inequality.

Faculties and Schools considering applying for an Athena SWAN award can find information and guidance in the Athena SWAN Info. for Schools, Faculties, and Services document, prepared by the EDI Directorate

Prof. Yvonne Galligan at the microphone on the Launch of the Athena SWAN Action Plan on International Women's Day, March 2022

Irish Higher Education Institutions can make an Institutional application to Advance HE to recognise their commitment to change and their plans to address systemic inequality. If successful, they will be awarded an Institutional Bronze Award, which must be renewed every four years. If significant improvements are made, they may apply for a Silver and ultimately a Gold Award.

Students studying at their computers

Faculties, Schools and Professional Units can apply for an award. An application comprises a thorough evaluation of the gender balance at all levels, the work environment and an evaluation of the policies and processes in place to support equal opportunities.

An Action Plan to mitigate any inequality identified through the self-evaluation process forms part of the application which is reviewed by a panel of HEI experts in a review process managed by Advance HE.

Students studying notes in a lecture theatre

The Athena Swan Ireland 2021 charter framework aims to support higher education institutions, academic departments and professional units to progress evidence-based, sustainable, and impactful gender equality work and to develop their capacity to undertake equality work across the equality grounds enshrined in Irish legislation.

Lab work

Charter participants commit to:
  1. Adopting robust transparent and accountable processes for Athena Swan work including:
    • embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion in our culture, decision-making and partnerships, and holding ourselves and others in our institution/department/professional unit accountable.
    • ensuring active leadership from senior staff, with those in senior roles at the forefront of taking action, and inspiring and fostering dedication and involvement from staff at all levels.
    • collecting equality monitoring data to measure, understand and publicly report on challenges and progress, taking steps when necessary to support and encourage disclosure.
    • undertaking transparent self-assessment processes to ensure priorities, interventions and actions are evidenced-based and inform our continuous development.
    • distributing tasks appropriately, formally recognising and rewarding work and ensuring there is not a disproportionate burden on underrepresented groups.
  2. Making and mainstreaming sustainable structural and cultural changes to remedy the effects of structural inequalities and social injustices, which manifest as differential experiences and outcomes for staff and students.
  3. Tackling behaviours and cultures that detract from the creation of an institutional campus culture that is safe, respectful and supportive, including condemning sexual violence and harassment, bullying, discrimination, unfair treatment, or exploitation of staff, students or partners.
  4. Addressing unequal gender representation across academic disciplines and professional, managerial and support functions, including examining gendered occupational segregation, and elevating the status, voice, and career opportunities of under-valued and at-risk groups.
  5. Fostering collective understanding that intersectional inequalities must be accounted for in the development of effective equality analysis and actions.
  6. Mitigating the equality impacts of short-term and casual contracts for staff seeking sustainable careers.
  7. Supporting flexibility and the maintenance of a healthy ‘whole life balance’ and mitigating the equality impact of career breaks and caring responsibilities.
  8. Fostering collective understanding that individuals have the right to determine and affirm their gender, and to implementing inclusive and effective policies and practices that are cognisant of the lived experiences and needs of trans and non-binary people.
  • TU Dublin was awarded an Institutional Athena Swan Bronze Award Application in March 2022. The Athena Swan Self Assessment Team would like to thank everyone who contributed to the development of the institutional application, particularly all staff who responded to the Equality and Inclusion Survey 2021 and the Athena Swan Focus Groups 2021.  The data significantly informed our application and action plan.
  • The School of Mathematics and Statistics was awarded an Athena Swan Bronze Award in September 2022.

Student working in class

For more information on the Athena Swan process in TU Dublin, check out our Athena Swan Ezine: