The following Press Release was written and published by Advance HE, the administering organization of the Athena Swan Charter Framework, on their website (original publication here). The article includes details about the accreditation process, as well as the significance of this achievement for the University of Cyprus and the other Cypriot universities that received this accreditation.
Four higher education institutions in Cyprus have been awarded Athena Swan Bronze, marking the first time the award has been conferred in the country and a significant milestone for the framework’s international growth.
Frederick University, UCLan Cyprus, the University of Cyprus and European University Cyprus have all been recognised for their commitment to advancing gender equality following a rigorous self-assessment process, with their applications independently assessed by panel. Bronze awards recognise institutions that have identified areas for improvement and developed evidence-based action plans to address gender equality challenges and opportunities
The awards mark the culmination of a three-year pilot project, launched in September 2023, to co-develop an Athena Swan framework tailored to the Cypriot higher education context. The initiative was funded by the Cyprus Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education (CYQAA) and delivered in partnership with Advance HE, representing a significant national commitment to embedding gender equality within higher education and research across Cyprus.
Through the pilot, institutions engaged in detailed self-assessment, data analysis and action planning to identify and address barriers to gender equality and foster more inclusive organisational cultures.
Alistair Jarvis CBE, Chief Executive of Advance HE, said: ‘I am delighted to congratulate these four institutions on achieving Athena Swan Bronze Awards. This recognition reflects a significant commitment to advancing gender equality through self-assessment, institutional reflection and meaningful action. Advance HE is pleased to see growing engagement in Cyprus and welcome these institutions to the international Athena Swan community.’
Among the good practice highlighted in the Cyprus submissions were evidence-based initiatives to tackle gender underrepresentation, including targeted scholarships and outreach programmes to encourage greater participation in disciplines where women remain underrepresented. Institutions also set out plans to embed equality, diversity and inclusion considerations within core processes such as recruitment, promotion and workload allocation, alongside clearer recognition of the impact of career breaks on progression.
Other commitments include developing comprehensive, institution-wide approaches to preventing and responding to harassment, discrimination and gender-based violence, investing in more mature EDI data infrastructure, and ensuring balanced representation within governance structures and committees.
Athena Swan is a globally recognised framework for advancing gender equality in higher education and research. Established in the UK in 2005, it has since expanded internationally, including in Ireland, Australia, Canada, the United States and India. The Cyprus awards represent the latest step in that international growth, and demonstrate the progress made by participating institutions since the pilot launched in 2023.