Driving change to organisational culture in higher education and research
Advance HE’s Equality Charters aim to transform and support gender and race equality in HE and research.
Advance HE’s Equality Charters are catalysts for change – encouraging higher education institutions and research institutes to transform their cultures and make an impact on the lives of staff and students.
As well as our work in the UK, Advance HE’s International Charters team work with governments, national and sector agencies, and professional bodies to establish tailored and impactful charter frameworks. If you are interested in an Athena Swan pilot programme, please contact internationalcharters@advance-he.ac.uk.
The Charters and Advance HE Membership
In the UK, Advance HE Membership provides access to our Equality Charters, making higher education better for everyone.
The Charters explained
Advance HE’s Equality Charters enable organisations to apply for an award recognising their commitment to and progress on, equality and diversity.
The Charters aim to drive forward the cultural and systemic changes needed if institutions are to remain competitive and attractive to talented staff and potential students in a global market. They are outcome-focused programmes that are catalysts for change – encouraging higher education institutions, research institutes and others to transform their cultures and make a real impact on the lives of staff and students.
The Charters are based on a methodology of self-assessment, peer-review and continuous progression
A self-assessment team has responsibility for gathering data and qualitative evidence to support their submission. This will take stock of progress to date and identify areas for further action. Institutions must also develop an ambitious, comprehensive action plan based on their self-assessment.
Award applications are assessed by a panel drawn from across higher education. Panels will have members with a mix of roles and specialisms, including:
- academics
- professional services staff
- equality and diversity practitioners
- HR practitioners
- representatives of learned societies and professional bodies
- industry representatives, where applicable.
The Athena Swan Charter has three levels of awards available for institutions and individual departments, and institutions can also apply for a Bronze or Silver REC award, depending on their level of progress. Members are encouraged to work through the levels from Bronze, to Silver and Gold with re-application at regular intervals. These renewals require evidence of progress and the successful completion of earlier action plans. The Race Equality Charter (REC) offers two levels of award for institutions: Bronze and Silver, reflecting their stage of progress in advancing race equality. Members are encouraged to progress from Bronze to Silver over time, with re-application at regular intervals demonstrating evidence of impact and successful delivery of their action plans.
Introducing the Charters
We have developed Advance HE’s Race Equality Charter and Athena Swan Charter to help the higher education and research sectors address racial and gender inequality, including the underrepresentation and lack of progression and success of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff and students, and the gender imbalance at senior levels and in certain subjects.
Athena Swan
Established in 2005, Athena Swan provides a robust framework through which institutions and departments work to identify and address barriers to gender equality.
Race Equality Charter
Launched in 2015, REC aims to help institutions in their work to improve the representation, progression and success of Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff and students, providing a framework for action and improvement.
The impact of the Charters
Advance HE’s Equality Charters are based on an effective methodology that can make a real impact, aiming to be a catalyst for cultural change and to make a real impact for staff and students.
The Equality Charters – Good Practice Initiatives
Evidence-based Good Practice Database supporting gender and race equality in higher education through Athena Swan and the Race Equality Charter.
Race Equality Charter impact evaluation now underway
Advance HE has appointed the Institute for Equity, University Centre to independently evaluate the Race Equality Charter from June-December 2026.
