![Group meeting](/sites/default/files/styles/hero_mobile/public/media/images/webimage-2ABB771E-7700-4478-919D8BA440D83D0E.jpg?itok=SppO3Rht)
![Group meeting](/sites/default/files/styles/hero_mobile/public/media/images/webimage-2ABB771E-7700-4478-919D8BA440D83D0E.jpg?itok=SppO3Rht)
Discover what we're doing to promote gender equality at the University
We want all our staff and students to thrive in an inclusive environment without barriers relating to gender.
We’ve been a member of the since 2011, and have held a university-level Athena Swan Silver Award since 2024. Athena Swan is a national charter recognising the advancement of gender equality in higher education, encompassing representation, progression and success for all.
Our membership of the Athena Swan Charter demonstrates our commitment to tackling gender inequality for staff and students, through long-term institutional culture change. As well as our University Silver Award, many of our schools, departments and faculties have achieved Athena Swan awards for their work towards gender equality.
If you have questions about our membership of the Athena Swan Equality Charter, please email charters@port.ac.uk. Our Pro-Vice Chancellor for Global Engagement, Chris Chang, is our acting Gender Equality Champion, supported by co-chairs Liza Howe-Walsh and Jane Chandler.
Many of our academic faculties and departments uphold their own commitments to gender equality, alongside contributing to the wider aims of the University. The following departments all hold Athena Swan Awards in recognition of their work addressing gender equality in the department and in their fields.
Silver Award
![Athena Swan Silver Award](/sites/default/files/styles/image_with_caption_mobile/public/media/images/Advance-HE-Membership-logo_Standalone_AS-Silver_Colour_0.png?itok=_YrfIXt4)
Bronze Award
- Faculty of Business and Law
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- School of Health and Care Professions
- School of Biological Sciences
- Department of Psychology
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
- School of Sport Health and Exercise Science
- School of the Environment, Geography and Geosciences
- School of Mathematics and Physics
- School of Creative Technologies
- School of Computing
- School of Architecture
- Dental Academy
- Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation
![Athena Swan bronze logo](/sites/default/files/styles/image_with_caption_mobile/public/media/images/gender-equality-athena-charter-bronze-600x400.jpg?itok=6lBLAOKy)
Promoting gender equality as an employer
Athena Swan Champions Funds
![Business meeting](/sites/default/files/styles/card_mobile/public/media/images/webimage-CD8F9F58-1150-4537-A4E4EAA0E3464665.jpg?itok=hW5ZqNd-)
Harassment Advisor Network
![Staff meeting in meeting room](/sites/default/files/styles/card_mobile/public/media/images/webimage-3A4EEFD7-7E24-49B6-84F34CF8588A7B5C.jpg?itok=oW7erKrV)
Staff training
As part of our probationary training, all staff take part in training on diversity and inclusion, unconscious bias awareness, and anti-bullying and harassment. We also provide optional training for staff who want further support to succeed in their personal and professional life.
![FOR STEM USE ONLY](/sites/default/files/styles/image_with_caption_mobile/public/media/images/webimage-A42182FF-A535-4C84-89F7B5D695B6BCA0.jpg?itok=B8ID4uB4)
Springboard and Navigator
Springboard and Navigator are three-month development programmes that encourage staff to examine their home and work life, and identify practical and realistic steps to fulfil their potential and reach their goals. Springboard is designed for women, and those who identify as women, and Navigator is designed for men, and those who identify as men.
![Woman smiling in blazer](/sites/default/files/styles/image_with_caption_mobile/public/media/images/webimage-FE3A2B90-E4BD-4155-8B9ECAB38BAFC0F1.jpg?itok=9OkboPAQ)
Aurora
Aurora is a development initiative for women, and those who identify as women to explore leadership and management roles in Higher Education. Staff are supported to fulfil their leadership potential via thought-provoking activities, collaborative problem-solving activities and motivational stories of inspirational women role models.
![Law Photoshoot 19th November 2018](/sites/default/files/styles/image_with_caption_mobile/public/media/images/webimage-7BB2F431-3DEE-48F8-AEC0B82379BAD619.jpg?itok=KZu6_QVi)
Staff mentoring programme
Staff can sign up to be a mentee or a mentor in our University-wide programme that helps develop skills, increase knowledge and understanding of the University and HE sector, and build resilience to better respond to transition and change.
Supporting women in business
Only one in three UK entrepreneurs is female, and women-led businesses are only 44% of the size of male-led businesses (, 2019). Our Faculty of Business and Law (which holds its own Athena Swan Bronze Award) is working to change this by advancing women's careers and addressing gender equality in business.
Accelerating Women's Enterprise (AWE)
![Women smiling on development programme](/sites/default/files/styles/card_mobile/public/media/images/accelerating-womens-enterprise-600x400.jpg?h=10d202d3&itok=lre8ySXZ)
Female Entrepreneurs Network
![Women smiling at coast](/sites/default/files/styles/card_mobile/public/media/images/UoP_women-socialising-in-sunshine-1200x400.jpg?h=723fe89c&itok=gVGEQV_9)
Supporting gender equality in research
In our submission to the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, 33% of our research staff identified as women. In our REF 2021 submission, this has grown to 39.6%. We're committed to increasing the representation of women in research through our Athena Swan action plan.
Women in Research
![Jen Gupta at computer during talk](/sites/default/files/styles/card_mobile/public/media/images/webimage-5897DFE9-8815-4C74-919366D3360F6D16.jpg?itok=xwApksrm)
Women's and Gender Studies research area
![Ethnic women](/sites/default/files/styles/card_mobile/public/media/images/webimage-13FAD97B-5463-4709-93AB00AE78926822.jpg?h=24ead739&itok=TndnXEJV)
Gender, Race and Education research area
![Female student in library looking over paperwork](/sites/default/files/styles/card_mobile/public/media/images/webimage-D9C73DF2-2517-4E06-B85D09F6C484A98A.jpg?itok=lJc_u8CV)
Gender equality support and resources for students
Equality and diversity careers support for students
![Students meeting in light classroom](/sites/default/files/styles/card_mobile/public/media/images/Meeting-support-students-600x400.jpg?h=d40a14f2&itok=Jlg37rtT)
Student societies
![Up for Uni Residential June 2018](/sites/default/files/styles/card_mobile/public/media/images/webimage-D6306F23-4173-4818-8DDA3084DAC7C964.jpg?itok=51Ue4wnW)
Equality and diversity Moodle resources
![6th February 2019; Feel Good Festival](/sites/default/files/styles/card_mobile/public/media/images/webimage-3BE7D496-5003-4964-A4671B986A63F4BF.jpg?itok=19TpnsCb)
Local groups and support services
Below is a selection of the local groups and support services that work on gender-related issues.
- Student Wellbeing Service – Free, confidential support for students and staff, and signposting to local services
- – Links to social groups around topics of business, hobbies, friendship and culture
- – Improving social justice and equality for women and girls
- – Connecting girls from the least advantaged communities with a mentor and a network of professional female role models
- Find further information about local LGBTQ+ groups and support services
Celebrating inclusivity
![Innovating for a healthier future; Portsmouth Hospitals Trust; PHT-UoP Joint Research and Innovation Conference 2019](/sites/default/files/styles/image_with_caption_mobile/public/media/images/webimage-62D8329D-CBBC-43B6-90F11D6C6B3BB8A7.jpg?itok=TL1YlY3e)
Annual Athena Swan Conference
Our annual Athena Swan Conference is open to all staff and focuses on gender equality and diversity at the University. At the conference, staff can get information about initiatives in progress and talk about their lived experiences and intersectionality.
Previous speakers have included Dr Deborah Gabriel, founder and director of Black British Academics, Dr Jay Stewart, CEO and co-founder of Gendered Intelligence, Daniel Guinness, founder and chair of Good Lad Initiative and Dr Anna Bull, co-founder of The 1752 Group.
Official policies and objectives
Below is a list of our policies and objectives that relate to gender equality. Can't find what you're looking for? Search all our policies and standards or contact our Equality and Diversity team at equality@port.ac.uk.
Family friendly policies
Our Athena Swan Core Group and Self-Assessment Team ensure staff can access family-friendly entitlements.
Maternity, paternity and parental leave
All women are entitled to a maximum of 52 weeks maternity leave after giving birth (no matter how long they've been employed at the University). After adoption, one parent can also take up to 52 weeks leave. Maternity pay depends on length of service, up to a maximum of 39 weeks.
A second parent is entitled to up to two consecutive working weeks paid leave (after 26 weeks continuous employment at the University). Parents can share parental leave if the parent taking maternity or adoptive leave returns to work before the end of the 52 weeks.
Flexible working and time-off to look after dependants
We also support time off to deal with unexpected emergencies with dependants. And we offer employees the right to request flexible working, which could include working from home, flexi-time, compressed hours and working part-time.
Gender Equality Plan
Equality Objectives
Equality and Diversity Policy Statement
Gender Identity and Expression Policy
Dignity and Respect Policy
Gender Pay Gap report 2021
Paternity guidance
Shared Parental Leave guidance
Adoption Leave Guidance
Reporting bullying and harassment
Our asks all students and staff to take personal responsibility for reporting:
- any incidents where dignity and respect is not demonstrated
- incidents of bullying and harassment
- any form of discrimination that they are aware of
Report and Support tool
Staff and students can use the Report and Support tool to submit an anonymous report of bullying, harassment, assault or a hate crime, or an informal report to request an adviser.
If you witness or experience any form of harassment, bullying, violence or discrimination at Portsmouth, you can submit an . We also have a formal complaints procedure for all staff and students.
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