Aus institutions awarded for improving gender equity

Thirteen Australian institutions have been recognised for their efforts to improve gender equity and diversity, receiving Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze Awards as part of the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) initiative.

SAGE was established in 2015 as a partnership between the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, with the aim of piloting the UK’s Athena SWAN Charter in Australia. The Charter addresses systemic, structural and cultural barriers that hinder the participation and advancement of women and minority groups in organisations, making it an effective enabling mechanism for transformational change.

The latest winners of the Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze Awards are as follows:

• Australian National University
• Deakin University
• Federation University
• Flinders University
• La Trobe University
• Macquarie University
• Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
• South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute
• The George Institute for Global Health
• University of Queensland
• University of South Australia
• University of Sydney
• Western Sydney University
   

SAGE Executive Director Dr Wafa El-Adhami said the Bronze Award “recognises an institution’s work to set solid foundations for their journey to transformative change; it sets them on the course to Silver and Gold awards”.

He said this is the second group of the 45-strong SAGE member institutions from the higher education and research (HER) sector to complete the Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze process, following the inaugural accreditation of 15 organisations in December last year.

“I extend my sincere congratulations to all awardees for their commitment to gender equity in the higher education and research sector in Australia,” Dr El-Adhami said.

Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews added her congratulations to the second cohort to achieve accreditation. She noted, “SAGE’s work is an important part of our Women in STEM Strategy and Women in STEM Decadal Plan and that’s why we included a further $1.8 million toward the SAGE initiative in the 2019–20 Budget.”

Bond University, Burnet Institute, James Cook University and the University of Tasmania were also recognised for their progress to date towards Bronze Award accreditation and their continued commitment to SAGE.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/likoper

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