University College London faced criticism when it was accused of forcing the embattled scientist Tim Hunt to resign after he allegedly made sexist remarks when he commented about his trouble with female scientists during a speech in Korea.
The institution consists of about 36,000 students received damaging criticism from well-known scientists, politicians and academics the likes of Richard Dawkins, Boris Johnson, Mary Beard and Brian Cox but the university held on to its decision that it will no longer reinstate the Nobel laureate.
The university admitted that there are lessons to be learned over the way it handled the scientist's case but said that it would not be appropriate to reinstate Hunt after the sexism row. The university's governing council met this week to draw a line under the row and said that it supports the university's acceptance of Tim's resignation.
"Having seen the relevant correspondence, including the exchange of emails between Sir Tim and UCL, the Council is satisfied that his resignation was accepted in good faith," the university said in a statement. "The Council unanimously supports the decision taken by UCL's executive to accept the resignation.
UCL's statement came after it categorically denied that it offered Tim his job but that the scientist turned this offer down. Anonymous sources had also been claiming in recent days that Tim would not be reinstated to his honorary professorship.
72-year old Tim's predicament started after blogger Connie St Louis and two science writers tweeted what they claimed to be embarrassing and sexist remarks by the scientist.
"Let me tell you about my trouble with girls." Tim reportedly said. "Three things happen when they are in the lab... you fall in love with them, they fall in love with you and when you criticise them, they cry."
Tim later apologized for the remark saying that it was supposed to be an ironic comment that the audience interpreted seriously. He was also reported to have praised women's contributions in science and said that the comments he made were intended as a joke, which led to some arguing that stripping the scientist of his committee memberships and honorary positions were an overreaction.
Tim said that his decision to resign was forced with his wife Mary Collins, a UCL academic, being told that her husband should resign from the university's Life Sciences department as honorary professor.
