Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Athena Swan

The University holds an Athena Swan Institutional Bronze award alongside School level awards for all of our STEMM Schools. Our aim is for all Schools to hold an Athena Swan award by 2025.

The Athena Swan Charter was established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment in higher education and research. Since 2015 the charter also recognises work undertaken in arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law (AHSSBL) disciplines, and covers professional and support roles, and support for trans staff and students.

On 30 June 2021 Advance HE relaunched the Athena Swan Charter with changes to the principles of the Charter and the processes for applying for an award and for enewing existing awards. Detailed guidance on how to apply can be found on the Athena Swan webpages

Athena Swan at the University of Sussex

The University of Sussex holds a Bronze University award, which is valid until 2026.

Institutional Athena Swan Application 2020 [PDF 2.74MB] (Please note, as per Advance HE guidelines this version is redacted so some photos and other personal information have been removed.)

Our institutional action plan covers all gender equality actions in a single place, including our gender pay gap action plan.

Our Institutional Self-Assessment Team (SAT) is chaired by Prof. Sarah Guthrie, Developmental Neuroscience (School of Life Sciences).  

The University has a full-time Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Consultant within the EDI Unit who supports the work of the Self-Assessment Team.

In addition to the University’s institutional Bronze award, the following Schools have achieved department level awards:

  • Brighton and Sussex Medical School (Silver, November 2017)
  • School of Life Sciences (Silver, renewed April 2019) 
  • School of Psychology (Silver, April 2020)
  • School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences (Bronze, November 2017)
  • School of Engineering and Informatics (Bronze, renewed April 2018)
  • Media, Film and Music (now part of the School of Media, Arts and Humanities) (Bronze, November 2020)
  • History, Art History and Philosophy (now part of the School of Media, Arts and Humanities) (Bronze, November 2020)