Western Sydney University (WSU) has been recognised with two new SAGE Cygnet Awards for its sustained and innovative work to advance gender equity, diversity, and inclusion across the institution.
The awards acknowledge WSU’s achievements in two distinct but interconnected areas: its gender-equitable response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and its ongoing commitment to supporting parents and carers in the workforce.
SAGE CEO, Dr Janin Bredehoeft: “Western Sydney University’s fourth and fifth Cygnet Awards are a testament to what is possible when an institution refuses to let equity be an afterthought, even in the most challenging of circumstances. Through the COVID-19 pandemic and in its ongoing work with parents and carers, WSU has demonstrated that gender equity requires active, targeted, and evidence-driven leadership.”
Responding to crisis with an equity lens
WSU’s fourth Cygnet Award recognises the university’s leadership in foregrounding gender equity during the COVID-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2023. When campuses closed for nearly two years, and gendered impacts fell disproportionately on women, particularly around casual work, online teaching, increased pastoral care responsibilities, and disruption to research, WSU took deliberate and targeted action.
The university led a Joint Sector Position Statement to protect gender equity across the higher education sector and coordinated a cross-institutional advisory group to share learnings and deliver strategic commitments.
Internally, WSU moved to enhance job security for casual staff through pay protection and a large-scale Academic Decasualisation Program, while implementing targeted research, wellbeing, and flexible work supports for the most affected groups, including women early career researchers, carers, staff with disability, and Indigenous staff.
All staff benefit when equity is prioritised
As a result of these interventions, satisfaction with flexible work rose from 70% in 2022 to over 80% by 2025 across all genders and staff cohorts.
Research publication rates held steady throughout the pandemic period, and women’s share of full-time equivalent staff increased for both professional and academic cohorts between 2020 and 2024.
“The research assistance initiative enabled me to keep up with a level of research that I couldn’t have managed on my own, with looking after the kids on top of teaching duties,” said one survey respondent, an academic woman.
Three-quarters of women and two-thirds of men who applied for academic promotion made use of COVID-responsive policy provisions, achieving outcomes on par with pre-pandemic conditions.
Championing parents and carers
WSU’s fifth Cygnet Award recognises a body of work focused on making the university a more equitable and supportive environment for staff and students with caring responsibilities.
When a 2018 all-staff survey revealed that parents felt less able than non-parents to balance family and work obligations and awareness of parental leave entitlements was low, WSU committed to meaningful, sustained change.
Actions have included increasing the visibility of fathers, student parents, and carers through video series, events, and awareness campaigns; delivering targeted resources and programs to help parents, carers, and their supervisors navigate workplace conversations; and strengthening leave provisions and flexible working arrangements within institutional policy.
Finding balance between family and work
In a 2024 survey, parents reported greater ability to meet family and work responsibilities simultaneously, up from 64% in 20218 to 69% in 2025.
“Flexible work matters to me because parenting, being a parent, being a father, is a huge part of my life. It’s fundamental, and my work is important as well. I don’t see why one should outweigh the other, and it’s a win-win,” commented a male professional staff member and parent.
Staff perceptions of being given opportunities to contribute increased from 63% in 2018 to 74% in 2024.
Around 80% of parents and carers reported positivity about their supervisor’s understanding of their caring commitments, reflecting not just policy change, but a genuine cultural shift.
Looking ahead
When announcing this Cygnet success to Western Sydney University staff last week, Vice-Chancellor Distinguished Professor George Williams AO stated:
“I’m proud of our ongoing and tireless efforts to tackle gender inequity and recognise the talents of everyone at Western. This internationally recognised work helps us telegraph to the world what we stand for and assists in attracting and retaining quality staff of all genders.”
WSU’s Cygnet Action Plans describe future priorities, including improving policy equity for carers distinct from parents, reviewing supervisor education to close gaps between policy intention and day-to-day practice, and developing an Equity in Crisis Response Framework to ensure widespread GEDI readiness for future challenges.
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 Western Sydney University’s Athena Swan Bronze Award, and its previous SAGE Cygnet Award on flexible work, academic promotions and Indigenous staff inclusion.
You can read all about Western Sydney University’s actions, outcomes, and impact in the full Cygnet Award Applications, or read an overview in the Progress and Impact Summaries listed here.
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.
