Athena Swan Bronze Award honours UCLan Cyprus’ gender equality commitment

UCLan Cyprus has been awarded the Athena Swan Bronze Award, recognising the University’s commitment to advancing gender equality and fostering a more inclusive academic environment for staff and students.

The Athena Swan Charter, developed by Advance HE, is an internationally recognised framework that supports universities in identifying and addressing barriers to gender equality in higher education and research.

The Athena Swan Cyprus Charter framework was officially launched in May 2024, marking an important milestone for the higher education sector in Cyprus and providing its members the opportunity to apply for the Athena Swan Bronze Award. Four universities across the country participated in the first submission round in 2025. During the initial four years of the Charter’s implementation in Cyprus, the Bronze Award is the only award level available, recognising institutions that have completed a comprehensive self-assessment of gender equality and developed a robust action plan for improvement.

Achieving the Athena Swan Bronze Award confirms that UCLan Cyprus has undertaken a detailed evaluation of gender equality across the institution and has developed a structured action plan aimed at strengthening equality, diversity and inclusion across its academic, professional and student community.

Floros Voniatis, CEO and Chair of the Council, expressed satisfaction at the recognition. “Receiving the Athena Swan Bronze Award is a significant milestone for our university,” he noted. “It reflects our commitment to fostering a fair, inclusive and supportive academic environment where all members of our community have the opportunity to thrive. We are proud to be among the first universities in Cyprus to receive the Athena Swan Bronze Award and to contribute to advancing gender equality in the country’s higher education sector.”

For his part, Advance HE’s Chief Executive, Alistair Jarvis CBE, offered praise for the achievement. “This Athena Swan Bronze Award is recognition of UCLan Cyprus’ commitment to advancing gender equality,” he said. “Congratulations to everyone whose work has achieved and will sustain this prestigious award, helping to deliver impactful change across higher education in Cyprus.”

The Athena Swan process involved extensive consultation with staff and students, analysis of institutional data and the development of a detailed action plan that will guide the University’s work over the coming years.

The University’s Athena Swan Action Plan includes initiatives aimed at:

• strengthening career development and mentoring opportunities for staff
• recognising equality, diversity and inclusion contributions in workload allocation and promotion criteria
• ensuring fair recruitment and transparent career progression processes
• monitoring and addressing gender pay gaps
• promoting a safe and respectful working environment through training and awareness initiatives
• strengthening the collection and analysis of equality data to decision making

Participation in the Athena Swan Charter provides significant benefits for universities. It strengthens institutional governance and accountability in equality matters, supports the development and retention of diverse talent, enhances organisational culture, and contributes to academic excellence by ensuring that all members of the university community have equal opportunities to succeed.

For students, the Charter helps ensure a learning environment that values diversity and inclusion. For staff, it supports fair career progression, inclusive leadership opportunities, and a respectful workplace culture.

Prof. Irene Polycarpou, Rector, and Litsa Louka, COO, and Co-Chairs of the University’s Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team, also commented on the milestone: “The Athena Swan Bronze Award reflects the collaborative work of colleagues across the University who contributed to analysing data, engaging with our community and identifying meaningful actions that will strengthen equality and inclusion. Our action plan provides a clear roadmap for the coming years, and we remain committed to delivering real and measurable progress.”

The Athena Swan Bronze Award marks the beginning of an ongoing journey. UCLan Cyprus will continue to implement and monitor its action plan, working with staff and students to build an inclusive university community and contribute to the advancement of gender equality within higher education in Cyprus.

For more information about the university’s commitment to equality and inclusion, visit:
https://www.uclancyprus.ac.cy/discover/equality-diversity-inclusion/