The research details the findings of a series of interviews and focus groups conducted with vice-chancellors, pro vice-chancellors, department heads, equality and diversity leads, and academics and researchers in STEMM disciplines at five Athena SWAN award holding institutions across the UK.
ECU and UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (UKRC) commissioned this study to understand how Athena SWAN has made an impact on the number and level of women in science, engineering and technology in higher education since the Charter was launched in 2005.
The research identified impact in terms of organisational structure and culture change, with increases in the proportion of women, better representation of women on committees, improvements in the transition from postdoctoral researcher to first academic post, improved working practices to support career progression, and growth in women’s networking across institutions.
