Western Sydney University has earned a SAGE Cygnet Award for improving gender equity in the academic promotions process.
Between 2018 and 2023, WSU introduced a range of targeted interventions to improve academic promotions processes and culture.
People weren’t applying for promotion at equal rates
The University had found that women in STEMM were applying for promotions at significantly lower rates than men, and part-time staff were barely applying at all (only one part-time staff member applied in the preceding two years).
Success rates were closer to gender parity, but more men were still being promoted than women, especially in STEMM. In particular, WSU found that women get “stuck” at junior levels: for STEMM women, the sticking point is applying to level C (women were 33% less likely than men to be promoted). For women in the Humanities Arts & Social Sciences, the hurdle is more senior, at level E.
Successful interventions
WSU’s interventions made a big difference. By 2023, women were as likely to apply for promotion as men, non-binary staff were applying and bring promoted, and part-time staff applications dramatically improved, up to 10% of all applications.
SAGE CEO Dr Janin Bredehoeft congratulated the University on their successful Cygnet Award.
“Western Sydney University’s work in this area is outstanding: their approach is comprehensive and transparent, and they have provided strong, clear evidence of successful improvements.
“I especially want to congratulate WSU on the way their have centred intersectionality, looking beyond binary gender metrics to analyse the barriers faced by marginalised groups.”
What was getting in the way?
WSU investigated why academic staff were discouraged from applying for promotion. They found that:
- Applicants lacked understanding of the promotions process
- Part-time work and caring obligations were perceived to conflict with academic advancement
- The gendered labour of academic care was under-recognised in promotions criteria
- Academic Promotion Committee members and Deans were perceived as susceptible to bias
- WSU’s promotions culture was seen as intimidating and overly competitive
- Promotions mentoring was insufficient.
Making constructive change
WSU systematically tackled these problems, starting with a review of policies and procedures.
The University improved their “Achievement Relative to Opportunity” (ATRO) guidelines to address the impact of caring responsibilities and career interruptions; aligned promotions policy with the University’s Indigenous Strategy; recognised pastoral care an collaborative contributions; reduced the number of referee reports required; improved support and structures of the Academic Promotions Committee; and offered targeted support to applicants through a range of mentoring initiatives.
WSU also conducted a university-wide awareness campaign to inform staff about the changes to policies and processes.
Making a difference for staff
There were meaningful impacts in all the policy, procedure, developmental and cultural areas that WSU tackled.
Staff reported that expanded ARTO guidelines were more inclusive and capable of addressing inequity. “This was crucial for my application” reported one Level C Applicant, who identified as a woman, CALD and a parent. “So this is the area I feel most strongly about.”
95% of applicants and stakeholder groups reported that the new promotions policy is ‘easy to understand’, and promotion applicants were also found to be accessing support mechanisms and finding them valuable.
Including Indigenous priorities in promotions policy was overwhelmingly supported, and identified by one respondent as “an incredibly important step forward for the University.”
Building on previous success
This is Western Sydney University’s second SAGE Cygnet Award for improving diversity, equity and inclusion, building on their first Cygnet for flexible work, and their Athena Swan Bronze Award accreditation.
Access a downloadable PDF summary of their progress and impact to find out all about the barrier they were tackling, their actions, outcomes, impacts and next steps.
For more detail, access their full Cygnet Award application here.
