Monitoring Departmental Athena SWAN Progress:
The following checklist has been put together so that Deans can meet with HoDs and get
constructive and useful feedback on each department’s progress on Athena SWAN. This will
illustrate senior commitment from the Deans and ensure that HoDs are held to account for
supporting and prioritising Athena SWAN. The checklist below will enable Deans to gain specific
feedback from HoDs on key Athena SWAN criteria and ensuring that work has continued after
receiving an award.
We would also strongly suggest that to keep track of progress from each Department, Deans should
request each department to submit their Athena SWAN action plan with updates on progress each
year.
What are your ‘key transition points’ and what actions are in place to address
them?
1
These are the areas where women start to leave the academic pipeline. Departments need
to have specific, targeted actions to address issues raised through statistical and
qualitative data analysis.
How are you going to assess the impact of your actions?
2
Departments need to evidence the impact of their actions to achieve a silver award.
Impact can be shown both through quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Are there any outstanding deadlines in your action plan?
3
In order to successfully renew or upgrade an award, departments need to show that they
have implemented actions in their previous action plan and evidence the success of each
action. Departments need to be careful that they do not get behind schedule
Are you able to fully resource Athena SWAN actions in your department?
4
It is important that HoDs show that they are allocating resources to Athena SWAN. Some
actions require initial or on-going funding
Do you think any of your planned actions would be beneficial at Faculty or
University?
5
6
While many actions would be more affective at department level, there are some actions
that may be successful at faculty or school level. This is an area where Faculties can show
their support and commitment to Athena SWAN by investing in particular actions
When is the department planning to apply, renew or upgrade?
Athena SWAN deadlines are the last working day of April and November each year.
Harriet Jones, Policy Adviser for Athena SWAN
Ext: 58860
Email: harriet.jones@ucl.ac.uk