WMG celebrates Athena Swan Silver Award renewal
Friday 17 July 2026
WMG celebrates Athena Swan Silver Award renewal
Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), University of Warwick, has successfully renewed its Athena Swan Silver Award for its commitment to gender equality and creating a supportive, inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
Established in 2005, the Athena Swan CharterLink opens in a new window is a global framework that supports and recognises the advancement of gender equality in higher education and research. WMG has been an Advanced HE Athena Swan member for over a decade and was first awarded Silver in 2020Link opens in a new window.
Since then, the department has continued to build on its actions, from widely adopting flexible working to implementing maternity return guidance and support.
Highlights include:
- Increasing female undergraduate representation by over 90% (from 12% to 23%), meeting Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) sector benchmarksLink opens in a new window of 15–25%.
- Closing the gender gap in MSc Distinction rates: female students now achieve Distinctions at rates equal to or slightly above those of their male counterparts.
- Introducing a new, sector-leading Technical Specialist Promotional Pathway to provide greater progression opportunities for technical staff. 14 technical specialists have been promoted since the pathway’s launch in October 2025.
It also appointed its first-ever full-time Project Officer for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) and Athena Swan in 2024 to ensure EDI remains at the forefront of WMG’s strategy.
“Achieving Silver renewal recognises WMG’s work in advancing gender equity, not only within the department but across academia and industry,” said Professor Kerry KirwanLink opens in a new window, Dean of WMG and Chair of the Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team. “Having worked at WMG for over 30 years, I have witnessed its growth, resilience, and commitment to gender equality, despite challenges faced in recent years.
“I’m proud to be a part of a department that continues to drive meaningful, structural change to ensure that EDI is embedded at all levels. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this change and helped us get to where we are today.”
Charlie WardLink opens in a new window, Project Officer for EDI and Athena Swan at WMG, added: “Creating and submitting an Athena Swan application is a huge undertaking, requiring considerable time, dedication and commitment from colleagues across WMG who are already managing busy workloads. This achievement recognises all that hard work.
“Now it’s time to focus on our priorities and deliver on our action plan to continue supporting our community and work towards achieving Gold in five years’ time.”
Read WMG’s latest Silver Award-winning submission: Athena Swan Silver Award renewal applicationLink opens in a new window
Find out more about WMG’s commitment to ED&I: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion | WMG | University of WarwickLink opens in a new window