Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) has awarded the University of Sydney Athena Swan Silver accreditation, marking 10 years of work to advance gender equity, diversity and inclusion (GEDI) across its academic and professional workforce.

The award follows actions including the appointment of a dedicated Deputy Vice-Chancellor Community and Leadership role, and a well-resourced SAGE project team driving meaningful GEDI progress across the university.

SAGE CEO Dr Janin Bredehoeft congratulated the University of Sydney on the achievement.

“Silver accreditation isn’t about good intentions, it’s about proof that structures have started to shift. The University of Sydney has backed its commitments with real resourcing and senior leadership roles built specifically to hold this work. That’s the kind of institutional weight that moves gender equity from a project into a permanent feature of how a university runs.”

Through the achievement of five Cygnet awards on its pathway to Silver, the University demonstrated significant progress across multiple GEDI areas, including improved representation of women in senior academic roles and more equitable promotion outcomes, more inclusive and equitable recruitment processes, improvements in flexible working, as well as provisions and support for parents and carers, strengthened LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and growing confidence in reporting pathways for bullying, harassment and discrimination.

In its Silver application, the University reported continued progress in these areas, while also identifying priority areas for future action: career planning, progression and equity; parents and carers; racial inclusion, voice and visibility; diversity, equity and inclusion in the Faculty of Engineering; and the critical role of managers in creating inclusive workplace cultures.

Career Planning, Progression and Equity

The Silver assessment found substantial progress in academic career progression, with women now holding just over half of all academic positions, including 45.4% of Level D roles (up from 38.6% in 2017) and 36.1% Level E roles (up from 31.1%).

The assessment also found strong promotions for women, reporting that between 2021 and 2024, women achieved a promotion success rate of 92% compared with 85% for men.

For one woman staff member (Associate Professor), personalised encouragement made the difference between considering promotion and ruling it out: “Being sent an email, directed specifically to women at Level C considering Level D, and offering targeted support through workshops and individual help, was absolutely pivotal to the realisation that promotion was something I could consider.”

The next phase of work outlined in the Silver Action Plan will focus on ensuring these gains are experienced more equitably across all groups, including women from culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds, staff with disability, and First Nations staff, while strengthening mentoring, career development and recognition pathways.

Normalising flexibility and care

The Silver assessment also highlighted progress in normalising care and flexibility across all genders, showing a gradual shift in how caring responsibilities are shared by university staff.

More men are taking parental and carers’ leave, with men’s share of total parental leave increasing from 29% in 2019 to 31% in 2024, and the proportion of men working part-time also rising.

One staff member reflected: “Speaking with other male partners about their leave [in other workplaces], they do not receive anything close to what USyd offers. My manager and organisational unit have been very vocal and supportive about me accessing the entire allotment of provisions available. This is very supportive for my partner and baby as we do not have alternate carers available to us. As such, I am extremely grateful.”

Further actions will seek to continue to support men to take up full parental and carer leave provisions, and better support staff with complex caring responsibilities, such as carers of people with disability, multigenerational carers and culturally diverse families, helping ensure that flexibility and career progression are not mutually exclusive.

Racial inclusion and intersectionality

A major focus of the Silver application was the University’s growing commitment to intersectionality and recognition that experiences of gender inequity are not uniform across the community.

Building on existing strengths such as the Mosaic Network and other culturally responsive programs, as well as the University’s participation in the Diversity Council’s R.I.S.E. program, the assessment found strong foundations for progress, including active staff networks, increasing visibility of culturally and racially diverse staff, and growing awareness of the need for a more intersectional approach to equity and inclusion.

One staff member reflected: “It’s powerful to see the University having conversations about race, culture and inclusion that were not happening a few years ago.”

At the same time, it highlighted that culturally and racially marginalised staff, particularly women, can face compounded barriers in recruitment, career progression, leadership representation and workplace inclusion. Future actions will focus on building racial literacy and anti-racism capability, strengthening representation in leadership and decision-making roles, improving intersectional workforce data and analysis, and ensuring that diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives better reflect the experiences of the University’s diverse community.

Creating a more inclusive culture in Engineering

The Silver application identified the Faculty of Engineering as both a site of significant progress and an area of ongoing opportunity. Women’s representation among academic staff increased from 18% to 22% between 2021 and 2025, while representation among professional staff increased from 48.5% to 54.7%, supported by targeted recruitment initiatives and continued investment in diversity and inclusion.

However, the assessment found that women continue to be underrepresented in many engineering disciplines and experience barriers that are not felt equally across the workforce. Feedback from staff pointed to positive cultural shifts and growing momentum for change, alongside persistent concerns about inclusion, career progression and workplace culture.

One Faculty member reflected: “There has been a noticeable positive shift in culture, but there is still work to do to ensure women feel supported, included and able to progress.”

The University’s action plan includes targeted recruitment and development initiatives, stronger support for women and other underrepresented groups, more inclusive facilities and work practices, and a continued focus on building safe and respectful learning and working environments.

The importance of inclusive leadership

The assessment reinforced that policies alone do not create inclusive workplaces – everyday leadership matters. Across the University, staff described the positive impact that supportive managers can have on career development, flexibility, wellbeing and belonging.

Many staff highlighted examples of managers who actively supported flexible work, encouraged career development and fostered inclusive team cultures, with one staff member noting: “My manager has been incredibly supportive of both my career development and my personal circumstances. That support has made a significant difference to my experience at the University.”

The Silver process also identified opportunities to strengthen manager capability and accountability, recognising that people leaders are critical to translating institutional commitments into lived experience. Future actions will focus on equipping managers with practical diversity and inclusion skills, supporting inclusive decision-making, and embedding accountability for culture and equity outcomes into leadership expectations.

Structural commitments for long-term transformation

Together, these changes point to an institution treating gender equity as core governance work rather than an isolated initiative.

The University’s own reflections point to the road ahead: moving from consultation toward genuine co-design with staff communities, sharpening the analysis behind its data, and more consistently connecting what the evidence shows to the action it prompts.

The University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Mark Scott AO, spoke to this achievement: “One of our aspirations is that our community thrives through diversity. This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to a university where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and the actions we have taken to effect real change. It speaks to the values that we share across the University and enables us to shape a positive future for all.”

Ten years in, that shift, from responding to problems as they surface to building the structures that prevent them, is itself a marker of how far the institution’s GEDI maturity has come.

While Silver accreditation recognises the University’s progress, the self-assessment also identified clear priorities for the years ahead. These include strengthening intersectional approaches to gender equity, improving career pathways and recognition, enhancing support for parents and carers, advancing racial inclusion and anti-racism, and embedding accountability for diversity, equity and inclusion across all levels of leadership. The resulting Silver Action Plan provides a roadmap for the University’s next phase of work as it continues its journey towards systemic and lasting change.

About the SAGE Athena Swan Silver Award

The SAGE Athena Swan Silver Award is a prestigious, international accreditation recognising an institution’s progress towards gender equity, diversity and inclusion.

This level of accreditation honours an organisation’s demonstrated commitment to honest engagement in identifying problems and most importantly taking action through multiple evidence-based initiatives to dismantle barriers to GEDI.

The Silver Award represents a milestone in development and progress towards GEDI and commitment to continuing this work.

The University of Sydney has completed five SAGE Cygnet Awards in the lead up to this latest award. You can find case studies that summarise the actions, outcomes and impact of the university’s work as well as its Silver Award Application here.

About SAGE

SAGE drives systemic change in gender equity, diversity and inclusion across tertiary education and STEMM research sectors through Australia’s only internationally recognised, evidence-based, tailored GEDI workplace accreditation program. SAGE supports, advises and guides tertiary education and research institutions to build their capabilities and deliver meaningful and sustained action that moves the dial on gender equity, diversity and inclusion.

SAGE’s internationally recognised Athena Swan accreditation program drives participants’ GEDI evolution. This evidence-based and impact-focused framework enables institutions to develop a customised approach to achieve systemic, structural and cultural change, measured against international benchmarks. Throughout that journey, they’re supported by advice, tools, and dynamic communities of practice that provide assistance when they need it.

As a valued adviser to government and other key decision-makers, SAGE also gives its participants a seat at the table to influence external policies that impact their EDI goals.