UTS recognised for advancing gender equity in recruitment and promotion

Together, these awards acknowledge UTS’s ongoing commitment to improving transparency, fairness, accountability and inclusion across critical career transition points, particularly for women and other underrepresented groups in STEM. 

Dr Janin Bredehoeft, CEO of Science in Australia Gender Equity, spoke to these awards and the importance of tackling gender inequity at the structural level. 

“UTS has taken a clear-eyed look at how recruitment and promotion systems shape career progression. These Cygnet Awards recognise work that doesn’t just support individuals, but reshapes the structures that determine who is hired, promoted and retained in STEM.” 

Rebuilding pathways to participation in STEM 

UTS received its third Cygnet Award for transforming recruitment practices in STEM disciplines, responding to longstanding gender imbalances in applicant pools and appointment outcomes. 

Through detailed analysis, UTS identified how seemingly neutral recruitment practices—from job advertisements to shortlisting and panel decision-making—were contributing to unequal outcomes for women and underserved groups.  

The impact has been tangible. “Small, intentional changes can meaningfully expand the talent pool,” said Kumi de Silva, UTS Gender Equity Programs Manager at the Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion.

“We found that simply rewriting job advertisements to use inclusive, gender‑neutral language made women more likely to apply for STEM academic roles.” 

Equity reforms felt across the workforce 

In the past, appointments-by-invitation (ABI) were common practice. In 2020, ABI accounted for 68% of recruitment in Science and 59% in the Faculty of Engineering and IT. After formal policy changes, this was brought down to 43% and 33% respectively. 

In 2024, roles advertised using revised language saw women up to 118% more likely to apply compared with control groups, and the proportion of women in STEM academic roles increased from 37% in 2018 to 43% in 2024.  

Indigenous representation also increased from 1.7% in 2018 to 2.1% in 2024. A key contributor was the establishment of an Indigenous Talent Pool and the appointment of a dedicated Indigenous Talent Acquisition Specialist in 2023. Prior to these initiatives, five placements had been made. In 2025 alone, 11 appointments were achieved. 

The impact of these changes is reflected in staff experience, as one UTS academic shared: “I’ve benefited from being part of a vibrant academic community that genuinely values diversity and encourages interdisciplinary approaches. That sense of inclusion is one of the highlights of working at UTS and within my team.” 

With these foundations in place, UTS is positioned to drive long-term, measurable improvements in recruitment equity, supported by strengthened data systems that enable ongoing monitoring, transparency and accountability. 

Driving equity, transparency and inclusion in academic promotion 

UTS’s fourth SAGE Cygnet Award recognises its work to unlock fairer promotion outcomes for women in STEM, particularly at senior academic levels, where gender disparities have traditionally been most pronounced. 

Clearer promotion processes were introduced, alongside strengthened guidance for applicants, improved data collection and targeted initiatives to build confidence and readiness. 

For staff, these changes have reshaped how promotion is experienced. As one applicant reflected: “The new application format gave me the flexibility to tell my non-traditional academic story.” 

The 2025 Promotion Applicant Survey showed most Senior Lecturer applicants (86% of women and 100% of men) said they had been encouraged to apply. This was mainly through strategic career planning or annual reviews (40%) or encouragement by peers/supervisors (38%). 

Support that changes outcomes 

While men continue to submit a greater number of promotion applications in STEM, the gap is narrowing. Between 2014–2016 and 2022–2024, the application gap between men and women reduced from 1.92 to 1.77, signaling progress in women’s participation in promotion processes. 

Over the same period, promotion success rates for women rose from 76% to 89%, reflecting not only increased participation but stronger outcomes. 

Targeted interventions have played a critical role in this shift. Of the participants in the Career Progression Coaching Program for Level C women (2019–2020), half rated the program as extremely or very effective.  

Impact translated into action between 2020 and 2023, as 43% of participants applied for promotion, with an impressive 90% success rate. 

Progress has also been felt by staff living with a disability, with 2025 survey data showing 88% agree with the statement “I feel supported by my supervisor to progress my career”, up from 55% in 2022. 

Building systemic change through sustained action 

UTS’s two Cygnet Awards demonstrate how targeted, evidence-based actions can both improve fairness in recruitment and promotion processes and strengthen institutional capability to support diverse, non-linear academic career pathways. 

“Gender equality is a shared responsibility across the UTS community,” says Professor Andrew Parfitt, UTS Vice-Chancellor and President. 

“UTS has had a long commitment to gender equality, and as a university of technology we have been actively working to ensure that this extends to science and technology disciplines. We believe this is the right thing to do, and the SAGE Cygnet Awards recognise that we are making progress on that journey.” 

“Removing barriers where they exist, supporting everyone to succeed in their ambition and holding ourselves accountable for gender equality is something the entire UTS community can be proud of," he said. 

SAGE congratulates UTS on this significant achievement and acknowledges the leadership and collaboration required to deliver impactful, evidence-based action under the Athena Swan Charter. 

About the SAGE Cygnet Awards 

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 UTS’s previous Cygnet Awards on attracting girls and women to engineering and supporting career pathways in academia for women in engineering and IT. 

You can read all about UTS’s actions, outcomes, and impact in our full Cygnet Award Application, or read an overview version in this Progress and Impact Summary. 

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.