UNE’s commitment to advancing gender equity, diversity and inclusion via the internationally recognised Athena Swan program is gathering pace.
Last week, the Self-Assessment Team (SAT) that will lead the development of our Athena Swan Bronze Award application was officially launched. Members of both the SAT and UNE’s Athena Swan Steering Committee also learnt from accrediting body SAGE (Science in Australia Gender Equity) and colleagues from Curtin University during the day-long orientation.
Academic Lead for the UNE Athena Swan program, Associate Professor Skye Charry, said the event represented a significant milestone in the university’s commitment to transforming its culture, guided by this progressive higher education and research framework.
“Athena Swan is an incredibly important process that shapes careers, research pathways, leadership opportunities, personal confidence, belonging, safety and participation,” Dr Charry said. “All of these threads are absolutely central, not peripheral, for staff and students to be able to contribute and progress and thrive.
“For UNE, Athena Swan is an opportunity to look honestly at its systems and culture, listen carefully to the experiences of our people, and use that evidence to create meaningful and sustainable change.
“Athena Swan provides a means for deep cultural transformation that goes beyond existing frameworks and policies and approaches. It provides an opportunity for us to integrate UNE’s Strategic Plan, vision and strengths and to take them to the next level, to ensure that peoples’ actual lived experiences align with the standards they are entitled to and that the university says it will deliver.
“Last week’s gathering was a wonderful chance to hear about the data requirements and the honest and authentic institutional reflection that sits at the heart of this important work.”
SAGE representatives Tamzen Armer and Fee Mozeley helped participants to understand the self-assessment process that UNE has committed to, and Associate Professor Samantha Owen and Professor Linley Lord shared valuable insights into steering Athena Swan at Curtin University.
To begin the process of Athena Swan accreditation, UNE’s teams must first develop an understanding of the current state of play, including the structural, systemic and cultural barriers that can impede attraction, retention and progression. Diving deeply into this data during the “evidence-gathering” phase will help guide UNE’s detailed Athena Swan action plan.
Staff and students will also soon be invited to participate in a series of workshops and focus groups to ensure the action plan is credible and grounded in real experience.
“The voices of staff and students right across the university are incredibly precious to us and will directly inform our action plan – an action plan that recognises their unique attributes and experiences across gender, culture, disability and other aspects of identity,” Dr Charry said.
“This will not necessarily be an easy process, but it is a vital one as we move towards embedding Athena Swan’s principles within UNE policies, practices and culture.”
Next steps
- Continue engaging with key university stakeholders to build awareness of and support for the Athena Swan process.
- Create opportunities for staff and students to share their experiences and perspectives as the self-assessment progresses.
- Use the evidence gathered through consultation and data analysis to identify priority areas for action and inform development of UNE’s Athena Swan action plan.
- Progress towards an Athena Swan Bronze Award submission for UNE.
For more information, email Athena-Swan@une.edu.au.
