Athena SWAN award for School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences

Monday, 11 November 2013

The University is delighted to announce that the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences has been awarded an Athena SWAN Bronze award.

The award is in recognition of the School's commitment to good employment practices supporting women in science, engineering and technology.

The School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences becomes the 6th School to receive a Bronze or Silver award. The University now has 75% of science schools with awards, demonstrating the University's commitment to promoting equality and embracing diversity to help the University recruit and retain the best staff and students and to enhance its reputation of academic excellence.

The April 2013 award round had the largest number of submissions to date nationally, with 112 submissions of which 87 Schools or Departments were successful. The School is one of only twelve Schools or Departments in the Psychological Sciences to have been granted a bronze or silver award. They will be presented with their award at an event to be held at Imperial College London in November.

Head of School, Dr Laurie Butler, said:"I am proud of the progress that the School has made to develop and to retain our female staff. I am committed to continuing this important work and to seeking ways in which we can improve still further."

According to the Athena SWAN committee, the School provides support to the staff for a range of practices, including: "providing leadership training opportunities" and has a culture of flexibility in working practices that shows "a balance between formal structures and useful initiatives".

Professor Richard Ellis, Chair of University of Reading Athena SWAN Steering Group said: "The University is fully committed to the aims and ambitions of the Athena SWAN charter. We are delighted that the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences has been recognised through the Bronze award which demonstrates their commitment to supporting career progression of female staff and students in this area."

Dr Cathy Creswell, a Principal Research Fellow in the School, reports that: "I have been thoroughly supported in developing my career while juggling the demands of having young children. In particular there has been a great deal of trust to allow me to work flexibly in terms of where and when I work, and at times when I have needed to reduce the hours I work this has been accepted and accommodated as a matter of course."