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This follows a recent Bronze award under ECU's new Race Equality Charter for higher education - meaning that Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê is the only university to have both.

As well as progressing from Bronze to Silver level at institutional level, a number of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê departments, divisions and institutes received or renewed awards under the Athena SWAN scheme. These are:

• Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Institute of Neurology - Silver
• Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Institute of Cardiovascular Science - Silver
• Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Biochemical Engineering - Silver renewal
• Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Division of Biosciences - Bronze
• Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Science & Technology Studies - Bronze

Professor Michael Arthur, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê President & Provost, said: "I am delighted that we have been awarded an institutional Silver Athena SWAN award. We are one of just seven higher education institutions to hold a silver award and I'd like to congratulate everyone across Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê whose hard work has enabled us to gain an award at this level, as well as to all those departments who have received or renewed awards this year.

"We are committed to continuing our work in this area, embedding the ambitious activities outlined in our Athena SWAN action plan. Many of the aims of Athena SWAN are reflected in Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê's new five-year Equalities and Diversity Strategy, to be launched this month."

Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê was one of the founding members of the Athena SWAN charter in 2005, and has held a Bronze award since 2006. The charter was established to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) in higher education, but has recently been expanded to include all academic departments and professional services staff. Athena SWAN now recognises work undertaken to address gender equality more broadly.Ìý

Sarah Guise, Head of Equalities and Diversity at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê, said: "These awards show that that equalities and diversity really is an institutional priority and there is engagement at all levels of the organisation. At this juncture, it is critical that we ensure that gender and race equality are not seen in isolation and will be encouraging Athena SWAN departments to develop creative interventions which address imbalances across the different equality areas."

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