The Equality Charters - Good Practice Initiatives

The new, evidence-based Good Practice Database is for those working to advance gender and race equality in higher education through Athena Swan and the Race Equality Charter.

The database aims to celebrate the breadth of gender and race equality initiatives taking place across the higher education sector and to provide Advance HE members with practical ideas and encourage them to trial new initiatives adapted to their contexts. The initiatives are drawn from recent analysis of selected successful applications. 
Race Equality Charter

Onboarding the Race Equality Charter Journey

06 Oct 2020 | Dr Sammy Li and Sheena Griffiths
Read the blog

Use the search filters below to find Athena Swan and Race Equality Charter initiative application types.
Athena Swan Good Practice Initiative Image
Queen's University Belfast: Recruitment
Queen's University Belfast
Initiative Theme: Promotion, Recruitment
Target Group: Academic staff
The submission set out to increase the visibility of its existing female staff and publicise its previous Athena SWAN submission.
Athena Swan Good Practice Initiative Image
Queen's University Belfast: Promotion
Queen's University Belfast
Initiative Theme: Promotion
Target Group: Academic staff
The School demonstrated clear initiatives to address the low representation of female staff at lecturer level, which included revising its recruitment procedures and postdoctoral career support.
Athena Swan Good Practice Initiative Image
Primary Care Health Sciences: Gender balance
University of Oxford
Initiative Theme: Gender balance, Promotion
Target Group: Academic staff
Initiatives were set out to increase the number of women in senior positions, after the department recognised that there was a gender imbalance at senior level.
Athena Swan Good Practice Initiative Image
Primary Care Health Sciences: Career development
University of Oxford
Initiative Theme: Career development
Target Group: Academic staff, Professional and support staff
Feedback from the department’s annual staff survey suggested a lack of awareness concerning its career development schemes, particularly among female staff.
Athena Swan Good Practice Initiative Image
Primary Health Care Sciences: Work/Life balance
University of Oxford
Initiative Theme: Work/Life balance
Target Group: Academic staff, Professional and support staff
Staff were encouraged to attend university organised courses on maintaining a healthy work/life balance, during which options concerning flexible and part-time working were highlighted.
Athena Swan Good Practice Initiative Image
Primary Care Health Sciences: The Balanced Researcher
University of Oxford
Initiative Theme: Work/Life balance
Target Group: Academic staff
The department organised a half day workshop in November 2013, entitled "The Balanced Researcher", which was available for all staff to attend and aimed to facilitate discussions about work/life balance.
Athena Swan Good Practice Initiative Image
Primary Care Health Sciences: Gender balance
University of Oxford
Initiative Theme: Gender balance
Target Group: Academic staff
With the aim of increasing awareness of the contribution that women make to the Primary Care Health Sciences, the department monitored attendance at seminars and the gender balance of presenters and chairs responsible for delivering them.
Athena Swan Good Practice Initiative Image
Primary Care Health Sciences: Debates
University of Oxford
Initiative Theme: Culture
Target Group: Academic staff
The department set up a series of debates in November 2012, which covered multi-disciplinary topics and encouraged the participation of staff from across the department and the university.
Athena Swan Good Practice Initiative Image
Primary Care Health Sciences: Caring responsiblites
University of Oxford
Initiative Theme: Accommodating caring responsibilities
Target Group: Academic staff, Professional and support staff
As a significant proportion of its staff had caring and/or childcare responsibilities, it was clear the department wanted to ensure it was continuing to maintain a supportive and family friendly environment.
Athena Swan Good Practice Initiative Image
Primary Care Health Sciences: Grade structures
University of Oxford
Initiative Theme: Promotion
Target Group: Academic staff
The department planned to ensure staff were aware of information concerning grade structures and opportunities for career progression.
Athena Swan Good Practice Initiative Image
Primary Care Health Sciences: Accessible information
University of Oxford
Initiative Theme: Work/Life balance
Target Group: Academic staff, Professional and support staff
The department highlighted a number of actions put in place in order to provide accessible information for new staff (all levels) at the university, particularly on work/life balance and caring responsibilities.
Athena Swan Good Practice Initiative Image
Primary Care Health Sciences: Recruitment
University of Oxford
Initiative Theme: Recruitment
Target Group: Academic staff
The department wanted to present itself as more attractive to potential female candidates to increase the number of women at senior level (Clinical and Non-Clinical) applying for advertised positions.