We are delighted to report that our application to renew our Athena Swan Award has been successful. The Bronze Award will be in effect through September 2027. Philosophy at Warwick will continue to work collectively to embed the principles of Athena Swan across all aspects of the Department.

This page provides information, updated yearly, about steps taken to advance the goals of gender equality and to improve inclusiveness for everyone.

Malala Andrialavidrazana, Figures 1918, Der Entente (2021), University of Warwick Art CollectionLink opens in a new window

© Malala Andrialavidrazana

Improving the environment with respect to equality, support and work-life balance

• Personal Development Conversations for all staff members offer support and review career development opportunities
• The Director of Research and Departmental Administrator offer annual Research Development meetings for all academic staff
• A newly developed workload model ensures fairness in distribution of work and promotes work-life balance
• A formal mentoring programme for career development and support for all non-professorial staff
• New induction process for all staff which includes briefing on commitments to inclusiveness, the Dignity at Warwick policy, and new promotions criteria
• Staff requirement to take the online Diversity in the Workplace module
• The Warwick Returners Fellowship, providing teaching relief and supporting research development for staff returning from parental leave, extended to staff on teaching-only contracts
• Consideration of gender balance when inviting visiting speakers
• Increased travel funding for Assistant Professors to support early career development
• Annual training in inclusive teaching and personal tutoring for teaching staff
• Staff encouraged to have at least 25% representation on reading lists for authors from under-represented groups
• Philosophy Teaching Exchange meetings held for all staff and TAs to share best practice, including discussion of inclusive teaching and widening participation

Inviting and responding to student and staff feedback on equality, diversity and inclusiveness

• We use a wide range of feedback mechanisms, including Staff-Student Liaison Committees, online feedback tools, focus groups and module evaluation surveys
• UG and PG representatives serve on the Department’s Equality and Welfare Committee, providing student perspectives on inclusiveness and consulting on Athena Swan activities.
• ‘Reverse-mentoring’ focus groups for UG and PG students incorporate concern for gender equality and broader inclusiveness, and elicit feedback on inclusive teaching, support and community-building.
• In the light of feedback, we have begun to diversify the curriculum. E.g., research-led modules on Feminism (since 2017) and non-Western Philosophy (since 2020).
• We convened a staff-student Race and Philosophy reading group, leading to development of a module on Race and Philosophy (offered in 2022-23).

 Promoting gender balance in PG study

• Checking the Department’s PG promotional materials to ensure representation of diversity in our student body
• Focus groups held to elicit more granular information about reasons students do and do not pursue PGT and PGR study in Philosophy
• PGT programme convenors publicise PG study opportunities for UG students at Yr. 2 and Yr. 3 returners’ meetings and at detailed follow-up sessions.
• Gender balance at PG information sessions, with female PGT and PGR role models sharing experience of PG Philosophy study with UG students
• The Department has worked collaboratively with the Department’s Minorities and Philosophy (MAP) chapter, to foster a sense of a community, with staff, UG and PG students working towards shared goals relating to AS principles. A majority of academic staff in the department have led MAP seminars, talking on topics as diverse as Gender in Philosophy, Justice in the Academy, Imposter Syndrome, and Mental Health and Philosophy.

 Increasing gender representation amongst staff

• In hiring, proactive efforts to encourage applicants from under-represented groups
• Hiring panels are proportionately representative
• Gender representation considered in constructing long and short lists for positions
• Requirement for staff serving on hiring panels to undergo training on the Equality Act and on Unconscious Bias