Advance HE's Athena SWAN (Scientific Women's Academic Network) Charter was established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Medicine employment in higher education and research. Athena SWAN Awards are recognition of commitment shown by Universities and their individual Schools and Departments to advancing gender equality. 

Queen's University Belfast, was a founder member of the Athena SWAN Charter.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery holds a prestigious Silver Athena SWAN Award, an accolade which we first achieved in 2012 in recognition of good practice in recruiting, retaining and promoting women in Science and higher education. We are also the first School in Queen's to establish a student SWAN group.

Our School SWAN initiative supports a number of activities including the Research Internship Programme for students who may be interested in the opportunity to work alongside a nursing or midwifery researcher as they carry out research activities or to complete an MSc or PhD in the future.  For further details contact Dr. Susan Clarke by email at: s.a.clarke@qub.ac.uk.

Regular events are offered to staff and students including a Professoriate lunch and a Careers Seminar to discuss career pathways, and a high achievers event to help students explore the idea of an academic career.  Regular Academic Promotion Seminars are hosted by Head of School, to assist staff in preparing applications for promotion.  The team also continues to promote gender equality and develop recruitment strategies targeted at men interested in nursing.