Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) congratulates Flinders University on receiving its fifth SAGE Cygnet Award in recognition of its sustained, whole-of-university approach to preventing and responding to Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment (SASH).

Among a small cohort of institutions nationally to have achieved five Cygnet Awards, Flinders’ previous award recognised sector-leading initiatives to raise awareness of and support menopause in the workplace.

SAGE CEO, Dr Janin Bredehoeft, spoke to the importance of this award topic: “Achieving the goals of the Athena Swan Charter requires confronting the systemic barriers that undermine equity and inclusion. Sexual misconduct is one such barrier, violating dignity and safety while limiting participation and wellbeing across our institutions.

With this SAGE Cygnet Award, we recognise Flinders University’s measurable progress in preventing and responding to this systemic barrier to equity. Its disproportionate impact on women, gender-diverse individuals, and other underserved groups underscores the need for decisive, sustained action to create safe and respectful environments for all.”

A whole-of-university approach to cultural and systemic change

Flinders’ approach to preventing and responding to SASH included three interconnected focus areas:

1. Strengthening systemic drivers, such as governance, policies, procedures and data, to ensure accountability, transparency and alignment with national reforms such as the Positive Duty under the Sex Discrimination Act and the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence.

This included a Respect.Now.Always. Advisory Group established in 2017, development and implementation of Safe and Respect at Flinders action plans, strategic policy reviews, internal audits and the implementation of a centralised online reporting safety portal.

2. Building trust in reporting and response processes through clearer pathways, specialist roles, timely triage and trauma-informed training for staff across the institution.

With new triage processes introduced in 2021, all SASH cases receive an initial response within one working day.

3. Improving visibility and access to support, ensuring staff and students know where to seek help and feel confident doing so.

University-wide campaigns, such as the Be a Better Human campaign, the introduction of the Consent and Respectful Relationships module in 2023, and mandatory staff and student-leadership training, have sought to normalise conversations and cultivate a sense of distributive responsibility for ensuring safe and respectful behaviours.

Results from these interventions

Evidence from staff and student surveys, internal audits and reporting trends highlights growing awareness of support pathways, increased confidence in institutional responses, and improvements in perceptions of safety and respect across the university community.

From surveyed university staff, the percentage of women agreeing that “sex-based harassment is not tolerated” increased from 86% in 2020 to 90% in 2024. For men, 90% agreed in 2020, increasing to 93% in 2024.

A 2024 report recorded 24 student SASH disclosures in 2023 and a further 22 in the first half of 2024. Rather than signalling increased prevalence, the timing of this data suggests improved reporting visibility and confidence in institutional processes following awareness initiatives introduced in 2024.

Embedding prevention through student culture and community leadership

The award also recognises Flinders’ sector-leading Be a Better Human campaign — a student-led, whole-of-university initiative embedded within institutional frameworks for prevention, education and cultural change.

2021 survey findings were unequivocal in their support of the campaign, with 99% of respondents affirming its relevance, inclusivity and effectiveness of its messaging.

Since its launch, the campaign has been adopted across the higher education sector and recognised nationally as best practice in primary prevention.

Driving trust, safety and equity

Importantly, Flinders’ recognises that progress is ongoing. This Cygnet Award acknowledges not only outcomes achieved to date, but the institution’s sustained commitment to long-term cultural transformation, transparency and intersectional gender equity.

Mark Schultz, Chief People Officer at Flinders University, spoke to this latest award: “Our latest Cygnet recognises the comprehensive, university-wide work undertaken to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct, strengthen trust in reporting processes, and create safer and more respectful environments in which to work and study.

With five Cygnets now achieved, we are eligible to apply for Athena Swan Silver accreditation. This will involve setting five key priority areas for future focus, defining longer-term actions, and establishing the data and measures required to evidence our ongoing progress. Together, we are ensuring that inclusion is not only part of our values, but a lived experience for all.”

About the SAGE Cygnet Award

SAGE Cygnet Awards celebrate organisations that have demonstrated progress in making their workplaces more equitable by removing or reducing a barrier to inclusion. They must be able to show that these changes have had a real impact on staff and/or students.

This builds on Flinders University’s previous Cygnet Awards on supporting Indigenous students, parents and carers, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and staff experiencing menopause.

You can read all about Flinders University’s actions, outcomes, and impact in their full Cygnet Award Application, or read an overview version in this Progress and Impact Summary.

About SAGE

Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) is Australasia’s leading advocate and accrediting body for equity, diversity, and inclusion in the education and research sector. It is the guide our region’s brightest minds turn to when they want a vibrant workplace where everyone can thrive.

Using an evidence-based and impact-focused framework, SAGE helps institutions build systemic, structural, and cultural change. Their world-respected Athena Swan accreditation program drives and measures institutions’ progress against international benchmarks.