The University of the Sunshine Coast has achieved a SAGE Cygnet Award recognising initiatives that support parents and carers and reinforce the University’s commitment to gender equity.
The Science in Australia Gender Equity organisation grants the awards to organisations that have demonstrated progress in making their workplaces more equitable by removing or reducing a barrier to inclusion.
UniSC first achieved Athena Swan Bronze Award status in 2020, and now has two of five awards required to achieve Athena Swan Silver Award status, earning the first of five for gender equity earlier in the year.
UniSC Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Helen Bartlett, said the second award affirmed the importance of embedding care and flexibility into the University’s culture.
“This recognition confirms that supporting parents and carers is fundamental to building a fair, high-performing and sustainable University,” Professor Bartlett said.
The award acknowledges UniSC’s practical actions to reduce barriers for staff balancing work and caring responsibilities, including centralised parental leave budgets, inclusive policy language, the Parenting Toolkit, and an innovative peer-to-peer pilot to support staff before, during and after parental leave.
SAGE reviewers commended UniSC’s evidence-based approach and strong accountability, noting clear alignment between actions, objectives and outcomes, as well as improved supervisory practices and research recovery following career interruptions.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Professor Ross Young, said the initiatives were critical to the development of a positive culture that both supports talent and sustains excellence.
“Creating an environment where staff can balance caring responsibilities with their professional aspirations strengthens our institution and supports continuity in research, teaching and leadership,” Professor Young said.
UniSC will continue to increase awareness, embed intersectional perspectives (including cultural and disability-related caring obligations) and strengthen data collection to measure long-term impact.
UniSC intends to apply for the additional SAGE Cygnet Awards in the remaining key priority areas of career support and development, recruitment and building a sustained pipeline of women in the School of Science, Technology and Engineering.
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.
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.
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