The equivalent body to the UK’s Equality Challenge Unit in Australia is Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE). SAGE is currently running a pilot of Athena SWAN in Australia in which 32 STEMM universities and research organisations are participants. They are all keen to improve the education and career outcomes of all women, and to boost the recognition of under-represented groups such as transgender scientists, indigenous Australian researchers and other minority groups. Following completion of the pilot, the long-term ambition of SAGE is to replicate the UK’s success of Athena SWAN as an evaluation and accreditation programme to enhance gender equity and diversity.

Tomorrow I’m taking part in an interview during which the SAGE team will ask me about my experience of leading Edinburgh Napier University to successful achievement on the institutional bronze Athena SWAN award at first attempt in 2014. In answering the interview questions I will reflect upon:

• The setting up of the Edinburgh Napier Athena SWAN Self Assessment Team (SAT)
• The challenges of collecting, analysing and presenting institutional gender equity and diversity data for our submission document
• The development of our 22-item Athena SWAN Action Plan
• University-wide staff engagement in the SAT’s work

If you would like to follow the interview, it will be broadcast live from 08:30-09:00 (UK time), with a 15-minute online Q&A session following at 09:00-09:15. For further information on how to participate, please see the details of the webinar on the SAGE web site. The interview will be recorded and made available afterwards on the SAGE YouTube channel.