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Athena SWAN > Awards > Judging panel

The Athena SWAN Judging Panel 

Panel members are selected to ensure a range and spread of experience across higher education, SET and the regions of the UK . Panels will include at least one member with experience outside higher education.  The names of individual judges will not be revealed until after the judging process.

What the Judges look for in deciding whether to make awards

Panels will be informed of any current awards held or previous applications made. 

Panels take into account a number of general points at all levels of awards:

• Communication – how well are policies and plans communicated to staff? Would a woman working in the university/department recognise the descriptions in the application?

• Senior or high-level commitment – is it there?  How is it communicated, both to staff and to managers? Does a senior manager take part in policies to improve the representation of women at all levels in SET?

• Follow-through of data and statistics – what do these reveal?  What actions are being taken to address issues identified and what have the results been/what is expected to change?

• Self-reflection and honesty – the panel accepts that there will be challenges and mistakes may be made, but these need to be recognised openly and steps taken to address them.

• Engagement – are staff involved in developing policies, implementing them and monitoring and evaluation at all levels?

• the clarity of the evidence provided on what was done and what is planned

•  the rationale for what was done and what is planned and how they link to the organisation’s strategic mission and goals

• how successful the actions taken have been, how that success was measured and evaluated and how they have benefited the organisation and the individual women and men who work in it

• the linkage between the data and the action plans

• the understanding demonstrated of the institutional context/local circumstances  and what the key issues are

• the significance of any changes, programmes/initiatives in terms of their anticipated outcomes, their sustainability and the likely longer term impact on the organisation, its processes and its culture

• the level of input, investment, involvement/commitment and support from senior management, heads of departments, senior academics and research team leaders (male and female) and women research staff and academics

• the extent to which what was developed and introduced was different, innovative or particularly  challenging

• the organisational ‘fit’, the sustainability of what was developed and the ease with which the change has been or is likely to become embedded in the organisational/departmental culture

• the extent to which their activities/programmes/changes have successfully addressed perceptions and expectations which shape or constrain career choices and outcomes

• the extent to which the value of what has been done is recognised/welcomed/valued by staff generally, by managers and by women staff