The School of Medicine was conferred with an Athena SWAN Bronze Award at an awards ceremony at the RCSI in Dublin on 24th October 2019. The award is in recognition of the School’s commitment to promoting gender equality and to identifying and addressing gender-related challenges in the School. 

 

 

Athena Swan Bronze Award logo
School of Medicine Athena Swan

The School of Medicine at the University of Limerick strives to improve the health and welfare of the communities we care for and serve. The SoM believes the collective dimensions of its people, students and staff, is essential to translate our capacities into achievements and actions. The SoM perceives diversity, equality and inclusion as significant strengths and aims to create a secure place to work that cultivates diverse perspectives, belonging, aspirations and personal growth. Thus, as part of the SoM Strategy and Strategic Implementation plan (2020-2025), our goal is to develop and progress the careers and wellbeing of our students and staff, fostering a culture that supports all to do their best work. By facilitating the personal development of each person who contributes to the SoM, we can shape the school’s culture and identity required to deliver the targets of its strategic plan. 

SoM strategy mission 2020-2025, is divided into five pillars to deliver the strategic plan’s targets 

* The overarching goal of the ‘Culture & People’ pillar is to create a secure place to work and study that cultivates diverse perspectives, belonging, aspirations, personal growth and wellbeing. Empowering each member of the SoM community to reach their full potential reflects the values of equality and human rights, as laid out in Goal 5 of the University of Limerick (UL@50) strategic development plans.

Education

Academic Excellence
and Diversification

Research

Research with Impact

Culture & People*

Promoting and Empowering Supportive
and Inclusive Culture

Community and Healthcare

Improving Healthcare
Outcomes

Governance

Effective Governance and Economic Stewardship

The SoM Athena Swan self-assessment team (SAT), chaired by the Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), currently has 24 members including academics, PMSS, researchers and students, representing all stakeholders and career and work-life stages within the School of Medicine. 

School of Medicine Athena Swan and EDI SAT Committee
School of Medicine Self Assessment Team

SoM Athena Swan Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Framework (AS/EDI) 2020–2025

The Head of EDI and the AS/EDI SAT oversee the collective Athena Swan EDI initiatives (2018 Athena Swan Action Plan 1–4 and 2020 Strategic Planning – Culture & People 1–5). 

The AS/EDI framework aims to underpin progressive change for staff and students and align with the principles of the expanded Athena Swan Charter (2021).

SoM Athena Swan EDI in action 2022-2026 

  • 4 Working Groups

  • 6 Pillars

  • 42 Goals

  • 78 Actions

SoM priority Athena Swan actions to address local gender equality challenges in leadership, progression, workload, work flexibility and work-life balance remain at the core of our AS/EDI 2022–2026 Action Plan, coupled with ongoing efforts to further embed and safeguard EDI principles into the School culture and community. 

Five priority action areas to address these goals include:

  1. Embedding EDI into SoM Athena Swan and strategic planning 
  2. Supporting career development and implementing a career framework for clinical tutor staff
  3. Advancing well-defined criteria and support for progression, promotion and job evaluation processes for all staff cohorts
  4. Expanding staff mentoring initiatives  
  5. Safeguarding EDI in student populations