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UCY’s participation in the Athena SWAN Cyprus Pilot Programme (2023-2026)

We are pleased to share that the University of Cyprus (UCY) participates as a partner in the pilot project “Athena SWAN Cyprus”, together with other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Cyprus, under the Athena Swan Charter of the internationally acclaimed organisation Advance HE. On the part of UCY, this initiative is undertaken by the UNESCO Chair on Gender Equality, who acts as the supervising entity for the preparation and the submission of the institutional application initially pursued at the Bronze level, due in November 2025. This effort is also carried out in close cooperation with UCY’s competent Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) Office, while being supported by the institution’s senior leadership.

The Athena SWAN Charter is an accreditation framework used globally to support and transform gender equality in higher education (HEIs) and research. It was established in 2005 by the UK Advance HE network/ organisation to promote excellence in higher education, to encourage and recognise HEIs’ commitment to promoting women’s careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM). In recent years the framework has been broadened to address both gender equality gaps and wider equality issues within HEIs worldwide.

The participation of Cyprus’ HEIs in the framework was pursued at the initiative and facilitation of UCY’s Professor Emerita (and former Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair) Dr. Mary Koutselini, also serving as the President of the Cyprus Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education (CYQAA), which operates as the intermediary authority between the participating HEIs as well as the funder of the pilot project. In addition to UCY, the pilot project “Athena SWAN Cyprus” currently also involves Frederick University, the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) Cyprus, the University of Nicosia and the European University.

The inaugural meeting of the Athena SWAN Cyprus Advisory Committee took place during the Advisory Group’s visit to Cyprus in September 2023, at the offices of the CYQAA in Nicosia. In an announcement on the launch of the pilot project, the CYQAA stressed that “this initiative is in line with the CYQAA’s policy to contribute to the creation of an environment where all individuals have equal opportunities for personal and professional development and equal participation in decision making”. This kick-off meeting laid the foundation for the development of the Athena SWAN Cyprus framework that governs all participating HEIs, which have demonstrated their commitment by signing up to the principles of the framework. The official launch of the Athena Swan Cyprus Framework took place in May 2024, when the Athena SWAN Advisory Group visited Cyprus and conducted a two-day workshop at the University of Nicosia (UNIC) with the participation of representatives from all six participating HEIs that initially participated in the project.

Photo from the Athena SWAN Cyprus inaugural meeting in September 2023 at the CYQAA premises

In the scope of the “Athena SWAN Cyprus” pilot project, and based on action implementation schedules, the Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) and the respective Action Plans (APs) of the contracting HEIs and the existing needs regarding gender equality issues are currently being reviewed and analysed. At the same time, the participating HEIs are collecting data on gender equality in the various structures and processes governing their operation, as well as mapping actions, synergies and practices for eliminating inequality in all areas of organisation and action in higher education, both among staff – administrative and academic – and among students.

Following are the seven principles that underly the “Athena SWAN Cyprus” pilot programme, to which all participating institutions subscribe and are committed to: