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The Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health at the University of Oxford (NDWRH) is proud to announce that on Monday 23 September 2024, the department was awarded the prestigious Athena Swan Gold Award. This achievement follows a rigorous and substantial application process, reaffirming the department’s commitment to gender equality and the promotion of diversity within science and higher education.

The Athena Swan Charter is a framework which is used across the globe to support and transform gender equality within higher education (HE) and research. Established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment, the Charter is now being used across the globe to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women.

NDWRH first earned recognition for its dedication to Athena Swan principles with a Bronze Award in 2013, followed by the Silver Award in 2015, renewed in 2018. Now, in 2024, the department celebrates receiving the Gold Award celebrating achievements to date and committing to a further ambitious action plan.

 

Pioneering Change for Gender Equality

NDWRH has taken a proactive approach to addressing gender inequality by critically examining department practices and making necessary changes to eliminate barriers that impede the career progression of female staff. The department believes that the implementation of Athena Swan policies benefits all staff, regardless of gender, by fostering a more inclusive and supportive work environment.

 

Among the key initiatives launched by the department is the Leadership Framework, designed to promote inclusion and transparency in decision-making and which consists of three key working groups:

  • The People & Resources Working Group (PRWG): Focused on delivering policies and procedures related to human resource management.
  • The Education Working Group (EWG): Committed to promoting best practices in teaching, assessment, and supervision for medical students and postgraduates and delivering the department’s teaching strategy.
  • The Research Working Group (RWG): Responsible for shaping and implementing the department’s research strategy.

 

The department has also implemented a range of initiatives, including an engagement platform for staff and students (Peakon Employee Voice), a Behaviour Charter and Framework, mental health and wellbeing support (in particular through the launch of the Thrive service),  and a renewed commitment to tackling issues such as short-term contracts and limited career development opportunities for postdoctoral researchers. Our Gold action plan will build on this foundation within the department and also includes specific plans for using our expertise in women’s health to support gender equality in the University and the wider community.

 

A Collaborative Effort 

Professor Krina Zondervan, Head of the Department, acknowledged the collective effort behind this success: “This is a huge achievement, which is quite simply due to the efforts and commitment of each and every one of you towards our Athena Swan Silver Action Plan delivery, and our new Gold plan. Whilst many, many people contributed, I particularly want to thank HR Manager Laura Goude, who worked tirelessly for many months to bring our Gold application together.”

 

Looking Forward

The Athena Swan Awards will be celebrated at an annual event hosted by Advance HE in early 2025, where all 2024 awardees will be honoured. The NDWRH looks forward to sharing more details about the celebration and continuing its mission to promote diversity, equality, and excellence in science.

 

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