Charters
Equality, diversity and inclusivity is important, and we are proud of the external accolades we have achieved. They recognise our commitment to creating and sustaining a safe and fair community. We are determined to maintain our association with national and international charters and our working groups meet regularly and take full responsibility for ensuring that we remain compliant and achieve relevant objectives set out in various actions plans.
External Charters Working Group
We take our commitment to EDI seriously and are proud of the external recognition we have achieved through accolades such as Athena Swan. Our working groups meet regularly to ensure we’re supporting a culture of inclusion and continuous improvement. Please email [email protected] to find out more.
Athena Swan
The Athena Swan Charter is a framework which is used across the globe to support and transform gender equality within higher education (HE) and research. Established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment, the Charter is now being used across the globe to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women.
Current awards for Edge Hill University:
| Award holder | Award held | Revised start date | Revised end date | One year extension? | Proposed submission deadline | Key contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Psychology | Bronze | 18 October 2018 | 31 October 2022 | Yes | 31 January 2024 | Linda Kaye [email protected] |
| Department of Computer Science | Bronze | 29 April 2019 | 30 April 2023 | No | 31 May 2023 | Ella Pereira [email protected] |
| Faculty of Health and Social Care | Bronze | 29 April 2019 | 30 April 2023 | No | 31 July 2023 | Clare Austin [email protected] |
| Edge Hill University | Bronze | 29 April 2019 | 30 April 2023 | No | 29 September 2023 | Aisling Benson [email protected] |
| Sport and Physical Activity | Bronze | 30 April 2019 | 30 April 2023 | n/a | 29 May 2026 | Lars McNaughton [email protected] |
| Faculty of Education | Bronze | April 2021 | n/a | Rebecca Starr [email protected] |
Applications submitted and pending:
| Award round | Award holder | Award level | Key contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2021 | Faculty of Education | Bronze | Rebecca Starr [email protected] |
| Business School | Silver | Yvonne Baum | |
| Biology | Bronze | Ellen Fry | |
| Law & Criminology | Bronze | Julie T Davis |
Care Experienced and Estranged Students (CEES)
Edge Hill University is committed to supporting this student group, as shown through our Care Leaver Covenant Signatory, Pledge with Stand Alone and National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL) Quality mark award in recognition of our ongoing commitment to achieve the best outcomes for students with experience of care.
HR Excellence in Research Award Action Plan
In 2005 the European Commission launched the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers which set out some principles for good working conditions for researchers. The Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (also known as HRS4R) is the mechanism through which the European Commission (EC) seeks to ensure that concrete steps are put in place by institutions to enhance working conditions for researchers across Europe as set out in the European Charter and Code. The strategy encompasses a five step implementation process for gaining EC recognition for commitment to implementation of the European Charter and Code principles. The European Commission recognition is the ‘HR Excellence in Research’ Award. This process is designed to be ‘light touch’, respecting institutional autonomy and making public information on institutional action plans and progress in their implementation.
Vitae have agreed with the European Commission that commitment to implementation of the UK Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers alongside meeting the requirements for research degrees set out in the UK QAA Quality Code is considered as equivalent to implementing the principles of the European Charter and Code. A UK-specific process that ensures synergy with current UK mechanisms has been developed and is managed by Vitae, following the same five steps and requirements as the standard process.
The HR Excellence in Research logo tells researchers that an institution is committed to supporting their careers and can give them confidence about moving to a new institution.
Disability Confident
Disability Confident is creating a movement of change, encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people.
Mindful Employer
Signing the charter demonstrates our commitment to better mental health at work. We signed in 2014 and continue to retain our charter, working towards better mental health in the workplace.
