Gender equity at UTS

In Australia and internationally, women are under-represented in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) – both in industry and academia. Research shows that this is particularly pronounced at senior leadership levels.

The Athena Swan Charter was established to address this issue. Athena Swan is a gender equity program recognising and celebrating good practice to boost gender equity in STEMM areas. Originating in the UK in 2005, it has been adopted in Australia and is overseen by Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE).

UTS signed up for the SAGE Athena Swan pilot in 2015. In 2018, UTS was among the first institutions to be awarded Bronze accreditation.

UTS is currently working on the next phase of the program, known as the Cygnet Awards, which require institutions to identify five key barriers to gender equity in STEMM and to begin to address those barriers. These will form the crux of UTS’s new plan to address gender equity in STEMM.

The priority areas are:

1. Building the pipeline through outreach to attract women to Engineering and IT in early education. Currently, low numbers of women are drawn to Engineering and IT disciplines. This begins in early primary and continues through secondary and undergraduate education.
2. Supporting career progression for Higher Degree Research (HDR) students in the Faculty of Engineering and IT. UTS is losing talent due to lack of career progression pathways that work for women, especially for HDR and Early Career Research women.
3. Targeting recruitment to combat the gender imbalance in applications for STEMM positions. This will address the unequal numbers of women and men that are applying for positions in the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Engineering and IT.
4. Making flexible work the norm across STEMM work areas. Flexible work arrangements available at UTS are not well known or taken up in STEMM work areas. Flexible work provisions need to be applied equally across the university.
5. Promotion pathways to increase numbers of women ascending to senior positions in STEMM. This will address the unequal numbers of women applying for promotion in Science and FEIT, resulting in a gender imbalance that increases at every level of seniority.

If you have any questions regarding the program, contact Dr Kumi de Silva, Gender Equity Programs Manager, Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion – kumudika.desilva@uts.edu.au

The REACH Grants were developed to support researchers whose careers have been affected by diverse life experiences. The scheme is broken down into two categories:

Professional Development Equity and Access Funding

Provides financial support of up to $2,500 to help early to mid-careers researchers. It can help with relevant professional development, participating in mentoring with a senior academic or industry mentor, or travel for conference presentations and symposia. Applications are currently closed. Check back in early 2023 for the next round.

Impact Development Project Funding

Provides financial support of up to $10,000 for project-based research activities designed to enhance a researcher’s career and impact. Applications are ongoing throughout the year. However, should you be successful, the funding must be sent in the same calendar year.

Find out more about REACH Grants – including eligibility criteria – on Staff Connect (opens to UTS staff intranet).

If you have any questions regarding the initiative, contact the Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion – equity@uts.edu.au.

Provides financial support of up to $50,000 to help mid-career academics whose careers have been significantly interrupted or delayed by periods of sustained caring responsibilities. It can help with teaching relief, research support and more. Applications are ongoing throughout the year. However, should you be successful, the funding must be sent in the same calendar year.

Find out more about the Jenny Edwards Research Fellowship – including eligibility criteria – on Staff Connect (opens to UTS staff intranet).

The Multicultural Women's Network (MWN) aims to build a strong community of multicultural women who are empowered and liberated to become their best personal and professional selves, and who are included as valuable contributing members of the UTS community.

The network welcomes UTS staff members who identify as a woman and have been minoritised based on their cultural, ethnic or linguistic background. We also welcome allies who do not identify as a multicultural woman but are keen to support the network's goals, are willing to listen and learn, and are open to challenging their own biases. LEARN MORE about the MWN network