The SAGE Athena Swan Program
The University of Queensland is proud to be a Bronze Institutional Award level participant in the SAGE Athena Swan program, a charter for research organisations that is improving gender equity in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) disciplines all over the world.
The Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) Athena Science Women’s Academic Network (Swan) charter aims to improve gender equity in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, medicine (STEMM) disciplines in higher education and research institutions.
Participating organisations apply for award levels that reflect their progress towards gender equity in STEMM. After successfully achieving the entry-level Bronze accreditation, organisations must then implement agreed actions and initiatives before they can apply for higher levels of Silver or Gold status.
SAGE Athena Swan is an Australian adaptation of an accreditation framework successfully implemented in the United Kingdom since 2005. In the UK, some research grant bodies now require organisations to have a minimum Bronze-level award to be eligible for grant applications.
SAGE Athena Swan specifically focuses on improving and supporting career progression in STEMM disciplines – where women are under-represented – and requires organisations to address challenges people may experience in these fields.
As of January 2024, SAGE has 42 subscribers from universities, medical research institutions, and publicly funded research agencies across Australia who are involved in the SAGE Athena Swan program.
Organisations around the world choose to participate in Athena Swan because:
- it is the only internationally recognised framework for gender equity, diversity and inclusion
- its evidence-based and data-driven approach is trusted by leaders, practitioners, researchers and the community
- it lets organisations benchmark their work in gender equity, diversity and inclusion against an international standard.
SAGE is the only organisation that administers the Athena Swan framework in Australia. UQ has worked closely with the sector since 2015 to deliver an accreditation pathway that’s tailored to our national context.
SAGE Athena Swan at UQ
SAGE Athena Swan at UQ
At UQ, we value and apply the SAGE Athena Swan principles of reflection and support across our entire organisation. We are identifying and addressing barriers that all researchers experience in their careers, to improve diversity in all disciplines, at all levels, and for all people.
After a lengthy consultation, planning, and application process for our first submission for accreditation, UQ was awarded a Bronze Institutional Award in 2019. We are now focused on submitting for the next stage — SAGE Athena Swan silver accreditation. To achieve silver accreditation, UQ must earn 5 Cygnet Awards by the end of 2026, each recognising significant progress in specific areas of gender equity. We achieved our first Cygnet award in December 2024.
Why gender equity?
Diversity – of thought, experience, and background – strengthens an organisation.
In STEMM disciplines, women are under-represented in academic career levels as seniority increases – a phenomenon known as the ‘leaky career pipeline’.
For example, at UQ, women make up 51 per cent of Level A academics, but only 31 per cent of Level E professors. This imbalance at senior levels is reflected across the higher education sector domestically and internationally.

An extensive body of academic and corporate literature clearly demonstrates that a holistic approach to increasing diversity directly correlates to improved organisational performance.
Academic and corporate research also shows that senior role models who represent the same gender and culture as students and junior staff are critically important to show that career aspirations to these levels are achievable.
Addressing under-represented groups to ensure that teams are balanced and representative of the wider community is therefore essential for organisational success.
Unfortunately, working towards more diverse teams is sometimes opposed by arguments that fixate on merit – in simple terms, that ‘the best person should get the job, regardless of their gender, background, or identity’.
While this is true, the issue is far more nuanced, influenced by a number of issues including unconscious bias, social and cultural factors, and performance relative to opportunity, to name just a few – and in fact, diversity and merit are not mutually exclusive, and are often linked.
For example, at UQ, although all decision-making processes are ultimately merit-based, in situations where certain groups are under-represented – such as women in STEMM disciplines – we recognise that we need to work harder as an organisation to improve diversity by encouraging more eligible people from under-represented groups to apply for these roles so they can be considered in the first place.
We achieve this through a number of initiatives that are coordinated through the SAGE Athena Swan Action Plan, including revisions of formal processes, mentoring and support programs, training and representation in marketing and messaging, and many more, so that members of these groups are eligible for consideration through the selection process in the first place.
As part of UQ’s pathway to Silver Institutional Award accreditation and progressing gender equity, we must submit 5 Cygnet award applications and implement the UQ Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP). UQ’s Gender Steering Committee (GSC) is overseeing this action plan implementation.
UQ achieved our first silver accreditation Cygnet in December 2024 for our efforts to address gender equity in academic career progression, particularly improving performance development and promotion pathways for academic women.
To learn more about our work towards achieving silver accreditation, see Athena Swan's UQ webpage.
UQ’s Gender Steering Committee was formed to implement our SAGE Athena Swan Action Plan as we progress towards Silver accreditation.
The GSC champions strategic and transparent governance, accountability, planning and reporting frameworks for gender equity, which reflects UQ’s broader commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The GSC comprises representatives from across UQ, including staff (academic and professional) and students, who bring diverse experience from different roles, career stages, work arrangements, and personal backgrounds.
The GSC aims to reflect the diversity of our UQ community by maintaining a gender-diverse membership.
UQ staff and students can access the following information:
At UQ, the SAGE Athena Swan charter is just one of the ways we are committed to improving gender equity.
For staff
For staff
Our workplace's progress is guided by:
- Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA)
- SAGE Athena Swan
- University of Queensland Strategic Plan
- diversity and inclusion policies and procedures
- career programs for women.
Staff initiatives to improve gender equity include:
- increasing the proportion of women in senior positions
- increasing support of career progression of women in research
- providing equal remuneration for women and men for work of equal or comparable value
- removing barriers that prevent women from participating equally in the workplace
- providing more access to resources for women to achieve leadership roles
- eliminating assumptions of caring responsibilities of men and women
- changing workplace culture to embrace gender equality as a normative practice
- assisting in making transition from parental leave to return to work as smooth as possible.
Other initiatives
Other initiatives
We recognise the importance of inspiring students from diverse backgrounds and genders to study in disciplines they may be under-represented in, as they will be our future researchers, leaders and thinkers.
- Women in Engineering
- UQ Women Create Change
- Centre for Gender Equality in the Workplace
A number of research and resources are available to inform the development of evidence-based diversity and inclusion initiatives in your organisational unit.
SAGE and Athena Swan
SAGE and Athena Swan resources
- Science in Australia Gender Equity
SAGE has developed a number of resources for Athena Swan Charter members. - Evaluating the effectiveness and impact of the Athena Swan Charter
An independent report into the impact of the Athena Swan Charter (completed in 2013). - AIBE Centre for Gender Equality in the Workplace – Employer of Choice for Gender Equality: Leading Practices in Strategy, Policy and Implementation
Women in STEM decadal plan
Women in STEM decadal plan
- Women in STEM Decadal Plan
The Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering have come together to develop this 10-year roadmap for achieving sustained increases in the participation and retention of women in STEM, from school through to careers. This plan outlines 6 opportunities for Australia to achieve this goal. - UQ's Women in STEM Decadal Plan
Read UQ's response to the STEM Decadal Plan, which outlines how UQ will champion women in STEM now and into the future.
Academic career path
Academic career path
- Increasing diversity in prizes and awards
- "Women, Careers and Universities: Where to From Here"
This research paper explores the gendered nature of employment, working conditions and career patterns of University staff, with emphasis on key points in the career life cycle. - "Busting myths about Women in STEM"
The Office of the Chief Scientist released this paper dispelling 4 persistent myths facing women in STEM.
Performance relative to opportunity
Performance relative to opportunity
- ARC Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence (ROPE) Statement
The Australian Research Council issued this statement in 2014 regarding their commitment to fair access to competitive funding by ensuring assessment processes evaluate quality rather than just volume or size of research contribution. - "Career Progress relative to opportunity: how many papers is a baby 'worth'?"
This research paper provides some insight into the application of the principle of performance relative to opportunity.
Business case for gender equity and leadership
Business case for gender equity and leadership
- Queensland Women's Strategy 2022–2027
- Australian Government: STEM Equity Monitor 2025
- Gender Equity Insights 2020 Presentation: Delivering the Business Outcomes
- Measure for Measure: Gender diversity in Australia
- Diversity wins: How inclusion matters
- Analysing gender and institutional change in academia: evaluating the utility of feminist institutionalist approaches
- The Business Case for Gender Equality
This Centre for Ethical Leadership research paper presents the business case for gender equity. - It starts with us – The Leadership Shadow
This management model from a partnership between Male Champions of Change and Chief Executive Women suggests actions and behaviours that support progress in gender diversity.
Gender pay equity
Gender pay equity
- The Gender Pay Gap – WGEA
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency analyses and contextualises the gender pay gap in Australia. - The gender pay gap calculator – WGEA
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency provides this tool to identify and analyse the causes of the various types of organisational gender pay gaps. - "Tracking pay equity: The impact of regulatory change on the dissemination and sustainability of equal remuneration decisions"
This paper provides valuable insights into the impact of regulatory change in addressing gender pay equity. - The UQ pay equity guide (PDF, 662.5 KB)
Equal pay for equal work. A phrase we have all heard, and a phrase, despite the best intentions of many, that has been consistently overlooked by institutions, leaders and managers, and employees themselves.We understand that pay inequity is a complex ground, and that’s why we have created this guide. To help explain to the UQ community about the gender pay gap, its causes and the benefits we will receive if we work towards achieving gender pay equity in our work areas, and academia as a whole.
For leaders and managers: this guide provides actionable suggestions to ensure you are an inclusive leader and help employees that seek to achieve gender pay equity. Key steps include: liaising with your Human Resources team to begin the process, devising an internal strategy to tackle pay inequity through the help of a pay audit, and annual performance and pay reviews. Another key consideration in today’s world is the impact, challenges and opportunities that flexible work provides for reinforcing pay equity and challenging gendered stereotypes at the same time.
For UQ staff: this guide outlines key steps you can take to begin exploring opportunities where they present themselves to have a positive impact on pay equity. While this needs to be enabled by institutions, it is never too early for you to begin informing yourself about this journey.
UQ negotiation guide (PDF, 159 KB)
We all know the role of negotiation skills. Whether it’s to make a sales pitch or apply for a research grant – good negotiation skills play a crucial role. They play an even more crucial role in one’s own career development.Research demonstrates that gender impacts negotiation styles, outcomes and even women’s desire to engage in negotiations for personal gains.
This guide has been created by the Gender Steering Committee under the auspices of the UQ SAGE Athena Swan program.
For leaders and managers: it highlights the role you play to enable an equitable workplace. It does this by providing action items which foster an environment that abandons gendered expectations and stereotypes, and puts the focus on an employee’s growth and performance.
For UQ staff: it provides tangible opportunities, especially for women, to start their negotiation journey for their own career progression and remuneration outcomes. We know it is not an easy journey, burdened with so many social gendered biases, but this guide is a great place to start!
Quotas and targets
Quotas and targets
- "Targets and Quotas for Women in Leadership”
This Centre for Ethical Leadership research paper provides empirical evidence and analysis on the impact of targets and quotas for women in leadership.
Parental leave
Parental leave
- Parental Leave Resources for UQ Staff
UQ’s Workplace Diversity and Inclusion team has developed a suite of resources to support staff returning from a period of parental leave, and to support supervisors support staff returning to work from a period of parental leave. - 2024 National Working Families Survey - Parents At Work
- “Mothers’ perceptions of support in the workplace: a sense of entitlement or resignation?”
This research paper from UQ’s Professor Gillian Whitehouse investigates mothers’ ‘sense of entitlement’ or ‘sense of resignation’ to workplace supports for family responsibilities, and whether change is needed before effective work/family supports become part of Australian working parents’ normal expectations. - Equality enabling parental leave: prevalence and distribution in Australian universities
- Motherhood: A potential source of bias in employment decisions
This paper explores the impact of gender stereotypes on the perception of parents in the workplace provide valuable insights into gender equity. - The “Bad Parent” assumption: how gender stereotypes affect reactions to working mothers
This paper explores the impact of gender stereotypes on the perception of parents in the workplace provide valuable insights into gender equity.
Intersectionality
Intersectionality
- UQ Guide to Inclusive Language (staff login required)
This guide provides information for staff about how to apply the principles of inclusive language to foster a safe and inclusive environment for all staff and students. - UQ Guide to Inclusive Events
This guide provides an overview of the protocols, best practices, and principles that should be applied to all UQ events to ensure they are inclusive and supportive for all attendees. - UQ Guide to Inclusive Meetings
This guide provides information for UQ staff about how to ensure that professional meetings are as inclusive as possible for all staff. - UQ Guide to Increasing Under-represented Staff
This guide provides an overview of UQ-endorsed special measures which may be applied to improve UQ’s staff diversity through targeted recruitment selection and appointment activities. - Australia Talks: Are there more than two genders?
- Intersectionality Explained by UN Women Australia
Unconscious Bias
Unconscious Bias
- re:Work
Google’s program provides numerous useful resources, including an excellent workshop "Unconscious Bias @ Work", which is supported by a number of useful practical resources. - Harvard Implicit Bias test
Test your own implicit bias within 15 minutes with this test backed up by Harvard research and techniques, with instant results.

Many high-profile conferences, events, task forces and media outlets lack gender balance, despite there often being no shortage of qualified women to contribute.
To help address this, the Panel Pledge initiative encourages academics and professionals to commit to requesting gender equity as a condition of participation on any panel or conference.
The concept was originally developed through a partnership between Women’s Leadership Institute Australia, Male Champions of Change and Chief Executive Women.
At UQ, we have tailored this to create an initiative known as The Merle Pledge.
The Merle Pledge is an effort to substantially improve women’s representation in public and professional forums.
We encourage academics and professional staff from all backgrounds and genders to take the pledge, and join the worldwide movement to advance gender equity in academia and other occupations.
The Merle Pledge
I commit to:
I commit to:
- increasing the visibility and contribution of women in public and professional forums
- advocating for gender balance and diversity in all professional events, panels and conferences
- encouraging my colleagues and friends to participate in the Merle Pledge
- questioning and raising the issue of gender balance and diversity when the opportunity arises
- actively encouraging and supporting the voices of women
- honouring the Merle Pledge whenever I am invited to speak
- standing up for what is right
- persevering and not accepting excuses for unequal representation.
When attending or organising panel sessions and conferences, I will:
When attending or organising panel sessions and conferences, I will:
- Make it known to my colleagues that I stand for gender equality and that I will only support, attend and organise events where a gender diverse panel or line-up of speakers is offered (or all reasonable attempts have been made).
- Request information about other panellists, speakers, and participants in advance, and ask explicitly how gender balance will be achieved.
- Insist, as a condition of acceptance, that women be encouraged to participate and contribute in a meaningful way.
- Offer names of women from within UQ or my network, or direct the organisers to resources that can assist them in finding women to participate.
- Question the composition of panellists and speakers, and reserve my right to withdraw from events, even at the last minute, if gender balance and diversity is not achieved.
Want to get involved in staff diversity and inclusion initiatives at UQ?
The UQ Gender Steering Committee welcomes feedback and suggestions from UQ staff.
ideals@uq.edu.au