RMIT is a proud and committed member of the SAGE Athena Swan Charter, the world's leading accreditation framework for advancing gender equity, diversity and inclusion in higher education and research.
Administered in Australia by SAGE (Science in Australia Gender Equity), Athena Swan is an internationally-recognised accreditation and awards program with more than 20 years of success. It supports universities to take an evidence-based approach to identifying barriers, embedding sustainable change and creating more equitable and inclusive environments.
For more information about Athena Swan, head to the SAGE website.
RMIT is 'Silver' accredited
In July 2026, RMIT was awarded Athena Swan Silver accreditation, making RMIT one of only five universities in the country to achieve this milestone and marking a culmination of 10-years of work.
Silver accreditation recognises a university’s sustained progress and measurable impact in advancing gender equity, diversity and inclusion, while providing an opportunity to set clear priorities to address the goals and challenges ahead.
RMIT’s Silver Award application identifies five key barriers where work is required to progress intersectional gender equity at the University. RMIT is progressing this work and aspiring to Athena Swan Gold accreditation.
- Read RMIT’s Silver Award application, including action plans addressing the key barriers identified
Over a decade of work in intersectional gender equity
After joining as a founding member of the SAGE Athena Swan Pilot in 2015, RMIT was awarded Athena Swan Bronze accreditation in February 2020. RMIT’s Athena Swan Bronze Action Plan identified key areas for improvement to achieve intersectional gender equity and was a significant commitment to drive change through rigorous data collection, analysis and practical steps. Since that time, RMIT has achieved all five “Cygnet Awards” required to progress to Silver accreditation.
Each Cygnet Award demonstrated the progress the University had made against a specific key barrier. Read RMIT’s five Cygnet Award applications, below.
- Recruiting women and gender-diverse staff in STEMM fields (PDF 13 MB) (awarded in 2022)
- Barriers to participation and career fulfilment for parents and carers (PDF 10 MB) (awarded in 2023)
- Supporting LGBTIQA+ inclusion (PDF 5 MB) (awarded in 2025)
- Enabling accessibility: supporting people with disability and neurodivergence (PDF 7 MB) (awarded in 2026)
- Respectful cultures and behaviours (PDF 2 MB) (awarded in 2026)
Governance
The Athena Swan Steering Group governs, oversees and champions the implementation of RMIT’s Athena Swan initiatives. It is led by:
Professor Kay Latham, Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor, Gender Equity
It is co-sponsored by:
- Distinguished Professor Calum Drummond AO, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation and Vice-President and
- Professor Sherman Young, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Vice-President.
HR Excellence in Research
Athena Swan supports the HR Excellence in Research Award, which is awarded by the European Commission for institutions that make progress in aligning their human resources policies to the European Charter for Researchers and The Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. The standards include principles on the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders, and a commitment to the advancement of research.
Contact us
To find out more or to get involved, contact Athena Swan Manager Diana Labiris: diana.labiris@rmit.edu.au
