Education plays a vital role in advancing gender equality by creating opportunities, challenging stereotypes and supporting women and girls to achieve their ambitions.
At ARU, we are committed to ensuring that students of all genders can access an inclusive and supportive learning environment, while addressing inequalities in disciplines and professions where women have historically been underrepresented.
Through targeted mentoring, international scholarship programmes, inclusive curricula and sector-leading support initiatives, we help students develop the confidence, skills and networks needed to succeed in their studies and future careers.
Our commitment to gender equality is reflected in external recognition as well as institutional practice. ARU holds an Institutional Silver Athena Swan Award, recognising sustained progress in advancing gender equality across the University, while the Faculty of Science and Engineering has also achieved Athena Swan Silver status. Through initiatives that support women in STEM, healthcare, leadership and professional careers, ARU is helping create a more diverse and inclusive workforce for the future.
Supporting women in STEM subjects
We're committed to increasing the participation and success of women in disciplines where they have historically been underrepresented. Through the Women in Engineering Programme, female engineering students gain access to professional mentoring, networking opportunities, employer engagement activities and skills development workshops designed to build confidence and improve career progression. The programme was highlighted as an example of good practice during the Faculty of Science and Engineering's successful Athena Swan Silver Award assessment and forms part of a wider institutional effort to improve gender balance in STEM disciplines.
We've also supported aspiring women scientists, engineers and technologists through the British Council Women in STEM Scholarship Scheme. In 2021, the University secured £175,000 from the British Council to support women from Brazil and Mexico studying engineering subjects at ARU, building on long-standing partnerships with universities in Latin America and helping expand opportunities for talented women to pursue careers in STEM.
Last updated: October 2026
To request additions, corrections or changes to the information in these pages, please contact: Dr Zareen Bharucha: [email protected]. Please use the subject line ‘ARU SDG’.