深夜亚洲福利久久

UCC takes Silver at Athena Swan Awards Ceremony 2025

12 Nov 2025

Four prestigious awards were presented to UCC awardees at the national Athena Swan Awards Ceremony, held at鈥�South East鈥疶echnological 深夜亚洲福利久久 (SETU) Carlow on 12 November 2025.鈥�鈥� 

UCC celebrated its鈥痜irst Silver鈥痠nstitutional鈥疉thena鈥疭wan鈥疉ward, along with three鈥疭chool awards 鈥� a first Silver for the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, a first Bronze for the School of Applied Social Studies, and a renewed Bronze for the Dental School and Hospital. Together, these鈥痑wards mark a significant milestone in the university鈥檚 ongoing commitment to gender equality鈥痑nd inclusion.鈥� 

鈥疶he institutional鈥疭ilver鈥痑ward was accepted on behalf of UCC by Professor Stephen Byrne, Deputy President & Registrar and Chair of UCC鈥檚 Gender & Athena鈥疭wan鈥疻orking Group, alongside Dr Avril Hutch, Director of UCC鈥檚 Equality,鈥疍iversity鈥痑nd Inclusion (EDI) Unit.鈥� 

In conferring the institutional鈥疭ilver鈥痑ward, panel assessors鈥痗ommended鈥疷CC particularly for significant gains achieved in the representation of women at senior academic and research grades, supported by enhanced recruitment and promotion practices and stronger career progression supports. Since 2019, the proportion of women at Full Professor level has doubled (to 30%), while the number of women at Professor (Scale 2) has increased by 50% and at Senior Lecturer level by 28%. Over the same period, women have come to鈥痳epresent鈥痑t least half of Senior Postdoctoral Researchers (up from 31%) and Senior Research Fellows (up from 25%) 鈥� evidence of meaningful progress in gender representation across all career stages.鈥�鈥�鈥疶he 深夜亚洲福利久久 has also implemented a suite of family-family and reproductive health policies, providing leave relating to fertility treatment, surrogacy, foster care and pregnancy loss.鈥� 

In addition to the institutional recognition, UCC celebrated three鈥疭chool successes:鈥� 

• The School of Food and Nutritional Sciences received its first Silver Athena鈥疭wan鈥疉ward,鈥痳ecognising鈥痶he鈥痠mpact, over time,鈥痮f鈥痠ts鈥痺ork鈥痮n gender equality. Application assessors commended the鈥疭chool鈥痜or鈥痠nitiatives to consult with and support鈥痵tudents, to understand and improve student experience of鈥痗ourse load and鈥痜actors influencing鈥痝rade attainment.鈥� 

Image caption: The School of Food & Nutritional Sciences accepting UCC's first departmental Silver Athena Swan award.  L to R: Dr Therese Uniacke, School Athena Swan co-lead; Prof. Alan Kelly, Head of School; Ms Leah Neville, School Athena Swan co-lead.

• The School of Applied Social Studies earned its first Bronze Athena鈥疭wan鈥疉ward.鈥疉ssessors commended the鈥疭chool鈥痜or its transparent reflection on the challenges in addressing gender stereotypes in social鈥痵ciences and鈥痵pecifically praised the鈥疭chool鈥痜or supporting a teaching buy-out for the SAT Convenor to鈥痜acilitate鈥痠ts Athena鈥疭wan鈥痵elf-assessment process.鈥� 

Image caption: UCC School of Applied Social Studies received its first Athena Swan award.  L to R: Dr Rosie Meade, Ms Fionnuala O'Leary, Dr Gill Harold.

• The Dental School and Hospital successfully renewed its Bronze Athena鈥疭wan鈥疉ward.鈥�鈥疘n earning its renewal, the鈥疭chool鈥痺as commended for significant improvements in the representation of women in senior positions, a management restructure that strengthened research capacity, and its commitment to career development for professional services staff. Panel assessors also highlighted a new policy on religious observance, introduced by the School鈥檚 EDI Committee,鈥痳ecognising鈥痶he diversity of religious expression among students.鈥� 

Image caption: UCC Dental School & Hospital successfully renewed its Bronze Athena Swan award.  L: Dr Sharon Curtin, School EDI Committee Chair (incoming).  R: Dr Elizabeth Anne Ryan, School Athena Swan lead and EDI Committee Chair (outgoing). 

These awards bring UCC鈥檚 total number of Athena鈥疭wan鈥痑wards to 18, in addition to its newly awarded Institutional Silver accreditation.鈥� 

Speaking at the event, Professor Stephen Byrne said:鈥� 

鈥淯CC's鈥疭ilver award reflects the dedication and collective effort of our entire university community to create a more鈥痚quitable,鈥痠nclusive鈥痑nd supportive environment for all. It is both recognition of the work to date and a call to sustain our momentum.鈥�鈥� 

Dr鈥疉vril鈥疕utch added:鈥� 

鈥� 
鈥淭his is a landmark moment for UCC. These awards not only鈥痸alidate鈥痶he commitment of our鈥疭chools and units but also inspire further progress in embedding gender equality throughout our university structures and culture.鈥�鈥� 

The Athena鈥疭wan鈥疌harter, managed by Advance HE,鈥痳ecognises鈥痑nd celebrates good practice in higher education towards the advancement of gender equality.鈥� 

Headline image caption: UCC receives its Silver Athena Swan award.  L to R: Ms Ann King, Athena Swan Project Officer, UCC EDI Unit; Deputy President & Registrar Prof. Stephen Byrne; Dr Avril Hutch, UCC EDI Director; Ms Angela O'Donovan, UCC People & Culture; Ms Katarzyna (Kasia) Pyrz, EDI Data Analyst