About ECU

Athena SWAN snapshot of ECU progress

Over the past 12 months, ECU continues to progress its ECU Athena Swan Bronze Institutional Action Plan 2018-2023 as it works towards achieving gender equality through a range of opportunities and initiatives.

ECU was one of only 11 universities and only 15 organisations nationally to achieve the inaugural Athena SWAN Bronze Institutional Accreditation Award in 2018, which included a rigorous two and a half year process, identifying the barriers to equality and devising practices, processes and actions to address them.

In 2021, ECU was ranked in the top 3% of 776 universities globally who submitted for Gender Equality as part of the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings. These rankings show how the global higher education sector is contributing to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the SDG Gender Equity indicator focusing on university commitment to encouraging women to enter and succeed in academia and development of gender equality policy.

Also in 2021, ECU again achieved successful compliance with the national Workplace Gender Equality Act, and continued to retain its status as a Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) Employer of Choice for Gender Equality -  the only WA university to hold that Citation for 5 years in a row. The Citation reflects the University’s ongoing and active commitment to gender equality and diversity, as well as the improvement of gender equity policies and practices as they relate to ECU staff and students. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Steve Chapman, continues to be a national Pay Equity Ambassador and the University is committed to achieving gender pay equity as provided for within our Remuneration and Reward policy.

In support of these outstanding achievements, listed below is a snapshot of a number of initiatives that have been delivered or built upon at ECU:

• Continues to preserve dedicated support schemes during the COVID-19 pandemic including the Edith Cowan Athena SWAN Advancement Scheme which is now in its sixth year;
• An Athena SWAN Dashboard that provides metrics for ECU leaders to assist in decisions that impact on striving for gender balance and gender equity, including our Gender Pay Gap;
• Tailored flexible work resources online for ECU employees, managers and teams;
• Hosted a travelling ‘Roll of Honour’ photographic exhibition featuring fourteen Western Australian women, who in 2021 were posthumously inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame.
• As part of the SAGE Athena Swan Western Australian Regional Network, published a good practice guide entitled: “If This…, Then That…” – a valuable resource containing scenarios that people commonly encounter in resistance to gender equity, diversity and inclusion;

Maintained:

• Australian Breastfeeding Association 5-star rated Athena SWAN parenting rooms;
• 91dedicated Athena SWAN parent parking bays for staff and students with drop-off responsibilities.
• Comprehensive suite of parenting resources to support staff who are welcoming a child into their family, and on their return to the workplace (including a working parents at ECU webpage);
• A Gender Pay Gap target has been endorsed by the University Executive, striving for +/- 3% gender pay gap within classification levels. Our current GPG for total remuneration is 14.9%.

Athena Swan Institutional Silver Award and SAGE Cygnet Award process

Moving forward, the University is now positioning to apply for an Athena Swan Institutional Silver Award. To qualify, ECU will need to deliver on five Science in Australia Gender Equity Limited (SAGE) ‘Cygnet Award’ submissions, in the form of Progress Impact Reports, each focussing on key priority areas for achieving gender equality at ECU.

If you would like to give feedback, or be involved with any of the opportunities or initiatives above, please contact athenaswanaustralia@ecu.edu.au