Gender

The Athena SWAN Charter recognizes good practice in promoting gender equality in higher education. The University of Oxford was a founder member of the Athena Charter and has held an institutional award since 2006.

Oxford Brookes has engaged with the Athena Swan Charter since 2009 achieving a first Bronze award in 2013.In 2016 the University became one of the first five UK universities to achieve an institutional award under the new Athena Swan Charter.

Going through the Athena SWAN application process gives universities and departments the space to reflect on, and celebrate, current organizational and cultural practices that promote gender equality. Athena SWAN also offers a valuable framework for introducing cultural changes that create a better working environment for staff of all genders.

There are a variety of resources available both within and beyond Oxford. Note that societies and activities for which gender is specified are inclusive of all students or staff who self-identify as women or men:

Within the University of Oxford

There are lots of Women’s Societies in the Departments of the University: see the MPLS ED&I page, including The Oxford Women in Physics Society.
OxWEST, a University of Oxford society for women studying or working in engineering, science, and technology.
Oxford Women’s Network, committed to enhancing the quality of life for the community of women within the collegiate University and their Oxford Women’s Newsletter (OWN), which is published fortnightly during term time and once a month during the long vacation. It contains a round-up of news, resources and events, and celebrates the achievements of women at Oxford. Items for inclusion should be emailed to gender.equality@admin.ox.ac.uk.
Various skills courses including the Oxford Women’s Development Programme run by the Mathematical, Physics and Life Science Division.
There is also the RisingWISE programme for enterprising women: the University accepts some DPhil students on this programme.
Oxford Senior Women’s Mentoring Network (single sign on required).

Within Oxford Brookes

Oxford Brookes supports a range of Gender Equality projects and initiatives and also offers both the Springboard Women’s Development Programme, and its equivalent for men, the Navigator.
They also provide some useful resources on Menopause in the Workplace.

Outside Oxford