The UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (ICH) is committed to the principles and beliefs of the Athena SWAN charter.The Institute received a Silver Award from the Athena SWAN charter in May 2014. This award celebrates ICH’s good practices in developing the careers of women in Science and Academic Medicine.
The Athena SWAN awards process enables departments and universities to develop an action plan aimed at improving recruitment, retention and promotion of female academic and research staff. The awards also have important financial implications for research institutions, since in 2011 the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, indicated that from 2016 the National Institute for Health Research will only shortlist applications for Biomedical Research Centre status from institutions holding an Athena SWAN Silver Award.