At ARU, gender equity is embedded within the University's governance, culture, employment practices and student experience.
Through targeted initiatives, inclusive policies and evidence-led action, we work to remove barriers to participation, progression and leadership for women and underrepresented groups.
Our commitment to gender equality has been recognised externally through the University's Institutional Silver Athena Swan Award, which acknowledges sustained progress in advancing gender equity across the organisation. By creating an inclusive and supportive environment for staff and students, ARU aims to ensure that everyone can thrive, contribute and achieve their potential regardless of gender.
Award-winning work to embed gender equity and inclusion
ARU is committed to creating an inclusive environment where students and staff are treated with dignity, fairness and respect, regardless of gender identity or expression. The University has embedded gender equity within its wider Equality, Diversity and Inclusion framework and, in 2024, received an institutional Athena Swan Silver Award in recognition of sustained progress in advancing gender equality across education, research and professional services. The award acknowledged improvements in policy, practice and culture, including initiatives designed to address barriers to progression, promote flexible working and create a more inclusive experience for people of all genders.
Our Athena Swan Silver Action Plan 2024-2029 provides a framework for continuing this work throughout the current reporting period, with priorities including improving policies and practices, tackling unacceptable behaviours, strengthening support for staff and students, and taking an intersectional approach to equality and inclusion. These commitments apply across the University community and support ARU's efforts to create an environment where all individuals can participate and succeed free from discrimination.
Sector-leading support for parents, carers and family life
ARU recognises that family responsibilities can create barriers to participation and career progression, particularly for women. One of the key achievements recognised through our University's Athena Swan Silver Award was the introduction of enhanced maternity and adoption pay. Since 2023, ARU provides a sector-leading 26 weeks of full maternity and adoption pay, placing the University among a small group of UK higher education institutions offering this level of support. Our maternity policy covers adoption leave, paternity and shared parental leave, ensuring that non-gestational parents can participate in childcare. Our Athena Swan Action Plan also includes a commitment to review family-related leave policies and strengthen support for staff and students with caring responsibilities. By continuing to develop family-friendly policies and flexible approaches to work and study, ARU aims to create an environment in which parenthood and caring responsibilities do not act as barriers to participation, progression or success.
Supporting women's leadership and career development
ARU is committed to increasing opportunities for women to progress into leadership and senior academic roles. In 2024, our Athena Swan Silver Award recognised a range of initiatives supporting career progression, including the Academic Career Framework, which has contributed to increased promotion applications and improved gender representation within the professoriate. Between 2014/15 and 2022/23, the proportion of professors who are women increased from 28% to 38%, reflecting sustained institutional efforts to improve representation at senior levels. Our academic Career Framework has led to a significant annual increase in academic promotion applications, and driven greater gender equality in our professoriate.
Staff also have opportunities to engage with activities organised through the Women's Network, which is open to all ARU staff and staff at partner organisations, whatever their gender, role or level of responsibility.
Supporting women in STEM fields
ARU to support women in disciplines where they have historically been underrepresented. Our Women in Engineering programme gives female engineering students access to professional mentoring, networking opportunities, and access to a supportive network of women who champion gender diversity in the workplace. ARU also participates in the British Council's Women in STEM Scholarship Scheme, the University provides mentoring, networking opportunities and professional development support designed to encourage participation and progression in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects. These initiatives were highlighted as examples of good practice during our Faculty of Science and Engineering's successful Athena Swan Silver Award assessment.
Monitoring outcomes and tackling discrimination
ARU recognises that achieving gender equality requires continuous monitoring, transparency and accountability. The University uses staff and student data to identify inequalities, understand outcomes and monitor progress against its gender equity objectives. The Athena Swan Silver Action Plan includes commitments to strengthen data collection and analysis, improve institutional dashboards, and use evidence to inform targeted interventions that support equality of opportunity.
The University also maintains mechanisms for reporting discrimination, bullying and harassment and continues to strengthen support for those who raise concerns. During 2025 and 2026, staff communications highlighted the availability of ARU's Report and Support platform, alongside wider institutional work to review bullying and harassment processes and improve training and support. These activities form part of ARU's commitment to ensuring that all members of the University community can report unacceptable behaviour safely and access appropriate support without fear of disadvantage.
Through the combination of robust policies, transparent monitoring, staff and student engagement, and externally recognised frameworks such as Athena Swan, ARU continues to strengthen its institutional approach to gender equality and inclusion.
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’.