As part of Advance HE’s ongoing commitment to assessing the impact of member services, we commissioned an impact evaluation of the Athena Swan Charter in 2025, to coincide with the Charter’s 20th Anniversary. The evaluation focuses primarily on the UK Charter’s impact over the past decade, following its expansion beyond STEMM disciplines.
Drawing on a theory of change developed in 2024, the mixed-methods evaluation led by Dr Fabiana Fausto McCracken and Dr Anne Rowan examines Athena Swan’s contribution to its intended outcomes, the sustainability of those outcomes, and the efficiency and value for money of participation.
Purpose of the evaluation
The purpose of the evaluation is to inform how Charter members might use the Charter in the future, including alongside the recently launched Inclusive Institutions Framework and how both members and Advance HE can support its effective implementation. It is not intended to lead to significant changes in the Charter framework, which was extensively revised in 2021.
Key findings
The evaluation finds that Athena Swan has contributed to increased senior representation, improved career progression and family-friendly organisational cultures, through supporting changes in recruitment, promotion, flexible working, workload allocation, parental leave and research support.
Departmental activity has provided important opportunities for local innovation, and sustained engagement has helped embed equality work into everyday governance and practice.
The Charter has also built institutional capacity by strengthening data-informed decision-making, governance and accountability for equalities work.
Looking forward
The evaluation report also highlights challenges, including uneven capacity, resource pressures and gaps in intersectional analysis. Looking forward, the report recommends practical priorities for Charter members and Advance HE to ensure effective and sustainable implementation of the Charter in a challenging context.
