Our commitment to gender equality is long standing, we know that there remain significant challenges to be faced to address gender equality across all levels and, very importantly, intersectional inequality
What is Athena Swan
UL uses the Athena Swan Ireland charter framework to support impactful and sustainable gender equality work at institution, academic departments, and professional units. It allows UL to build capacity for evidence-based equality work across the equality grounds enshrined in Irish legislation.
UL takes great pride in being one of the first institutions in Ireland to achieve (in July 2015) an Athena Swan (AS) Bronze Institution Award. Since then, we have worked hard to embed AS across all faculties and departments. UL is proud to say all academic units hold bronze or silver awards.
UL has a comprehensive Gender Action Plan to progress gender equality and across additional equality grounds and their intersections.
Student Progress
Gender imbalance in undergraduate, postgraduate (taught & research) programmes & graduate outcomes are tracked & monitored as part of the Athena Swan process. Each faculty (KBS, EHS, AHSS, SciEng) and department in the institution has an Athena Swan/EDI Self-Assessment Team (see committee structures) which places gender equality and EDI as a key agenda item on all departmental meetings. Specific targeted & time bound actions are drafted to tackle gender imbalance in student recruitment or award attainment where evident.
Find out how we monitor and report on student enrolment and completion rates here