Gender equality and inclusivity can be important factors to weigh into your decision of which university to attend. This can come in many forms, whether it’s educational access, efforts to mitigate the wage gap, policies that protect trans students, or any number of other initiatives. Here are some of the most prominent universities making strides towards gender equality in the UK.
Top Universities With Gender Equality Initiatives
The University of Worcester has undertaken a ‘whole university approach’ to equality and diversity initiatives, which assesses the university in its entirety, with students being heavily involved in decision-making. It has been consistently ranked highly in the THE gender equality tables. The university has also developed the Hive, a joint university and public library space which holds many public engagement events.
The University of East London has won multiple Athena SWAN awards for gender equality, both as an institution and within its individual schools. 50% of their board of governors and 63% of the management board are female.
See also: Is UEA a Russell Group University?
King’s College London is enacting an action plan to be completed by the 2024/2025 academic year that includes programmes for women’s leadership, staff representation and trans inclusivity. They have also decreased their wage gap from 19.5% in 2017 to 14.8% in 2021.
Glasgow Caledonian University It has secured high rankings in the THE gender equality tables, and is currently the highest ranked institution in the UK for this metric. It has made a commitment to following the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. They have also partnered with SmartSTEMs for an initiative to inspire women to enter STEM fields.
Best Universities for Gender Studies
If gender equality and inclusivity is where your passion lies, you may consider studying it in university. Here are some of the universities with the best courses in Gender Studies. Gender Studies courses are not as widespread as some other fields, but there are still several options available, whether you’re entering uni for the first time or returning for another degree.
The University of Brighton offers a Politics, Gender and Sexuality BA.
For those who are enthusiastic about literature, Swansea University offers an English Literature with Gender BA.
The University of Greenwich offers an MSc in Criminology, Gender and Sexualities.
For those seeking out a career in diplomacy, the University of Bristol offers an MSc in Gender and International Relations.
The University of Warwick and UEA both offer Gender Analysis and International Development MAs.
These are just a few of the many gender-related courses that are available.
See also: Is King’s College Good?
