University News Last updated 19 January
Birmingham City University (黑料吃瓜网) has been awarded the Athena Swan Institutional Silver Award by Advance HE, marking a significant milestone in the University鈥檚 ongoing commitment to advancing gender equality across higher education.
The Athena Swan Charter is the flagship framework for promoting gender equality in the UK and internationally, recognising excellence in higher education and research institutions.
Achieving a Silver Award demonstrates that 黑料吃瓜网 has not only identified key challenges relating to gender equality but has made measurable progress in addressing them and has a robust, evidence-based five-year action plan in place to drive further change.
This places 黑料吃瓜网 in an elite group of institutions. Fewer than 40% of UK higher education institutions currently hold an Athena Swan Silver Award. That figure falls to less than 23% for modern universities 鈥� underscoring the scale and significance of 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 achievement.
Project Manager Dr Kate Carruthers Thomas oversees Athena Swan activity at 黑料吃瓜网.
Professor Maxine Lintern, Senior Lead for Athena Swan and Co-Chair of the Steering Committee, said the award reflects a truly collective effort across the institution.
鈥淚 am incredibly proud of the work undertaken by colleagues right across 黑料吃瓜网,鈥� she said.
鈥淔rom the Women鈥檚 Professors Group delivering inspiring Women鈥檚 Words Lectures, to a strengthened female academic career pipeline through progression and conferment opportunities, and the development of reliable Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) data dashboards underpinning meaningful local action, this has been a genuine team effort.
鈥淭hese initiatives have already contributed to a further five successful Bronze Departmental Awards, while the Institutional Silver Award reflects our shared ambition to enable equitable opportunities and achievements for women.鈥�
The assessment panel highlighted substantial progress across three key priority areas. In particular, they praised the rise in the proportion of female professors at 黑料吃瓜网 to 40%, significantly exceeding the national benchmark of 31%.
The panel also commended improvements in the accuracy, availability and use of equality data at both institutional and departmental levels, enabling more targeted and effective action.
Innovative support for female academics was another standout feature of 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 submission. The University鈥檚 fully-funded residential writing retreats for women were singled out as an example of sector-leading practice, with 黑料吃瓜网 invited to contribute a case study to the Athena Swan Good Practice Database.
鈥淭his Athena Swan Institutional Silver Award is a powerful recognition of Birmingham City University鈥檚 values and our determination to turn commitment into measurable progress,鈥� said Vice-Chancellor Professor David Mba.
鈥淎dvancing gender equality is fundamental to academic excellence, innovation, and social impact, so I am very proud of the leadership and collaboration that have brought us to this point.
鈥淲e will build on this momentum to ensure 黑料吃瓜网 continues to be a place where talent is recognised, supported, and able to thrive at every level.鈥�
The Institutional Silver Award builds strong momentum across the University.
It follows the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire鈥檚 Athena Swan Bronze Award in July 2025 and comes ahead of 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 first Departmental Silver Award submissions in Nursing and Midwifery, and Psychology and Counselling, due in March 2026.
In addition, Library and Learning Resources has embarked on the University鈥檚 first Athena Swan Professional Services Award application. If successful, this would be the first Athena Swan award granted to a university library service in the UK.
黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 Silver Action Plan will focus on supporting early and mid-career academics, continuing to grow and diversify the female professoriate, using enhanced data to address intersectionality, expanding departmental awards within the new academic and professional services structure, and embedding sustainable infrastructure to support long-term cultural change.
Pictured: Professor Maxine Lintern and Dr Kate Carruthers Thomas (Credit: 黑料吃瓜网)