Gender Equality Plan

Birmingham City University (BCU) is fundamentally committed to fostering a culture of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion across all levels of the institution. Our vision is to create a dynamic and supportive environment where every individual, regardless of their gender or intersecting personal circumstances, can thrive and achieve excellence in their academic and professional careers.

The collective success of BCU is underpinned by the diverse talents and valuable contributions of every member of our staff and student body; therefore, our Gender Equality initiatives are driven by a long-term focus, primarily through our Institutional Vision, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy and the Athena Swan Action Plan.

Our commitment to Gender Equality also aligns with external funding mandates such as Horizon Europe, the European Union’s key research programme.

Birmingham City University’s approach to our Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is as follows:

Gender Equality Plan (GEP) Building Blocks:

1. Diversity & Inclusion strategy:

Our intention is to become the top university in the Midlands for boosting regional growth, innovation, and skills. Our outstanding research will solve problems and effect societal change for good. Our EDI Strategy outlines and supports our commitment to achieving these goals.

2. Dedicated Resources and Expertise

BCU ensures that dedicated leadership, resources, and specialist expertise are allocated to drive gender equality and hold the institution to account:

• Office for Institutional Equity (OIE): Formerly known as the EDI Team, the dedicated Office for Institutional Equity leads and delivers the University’s EDI objectives, reporting to the University Executive Team to embed equity across all operational and academic structures.
• University EDI Committee: Provides institutional oversight, identifies key EDI challenges, advises senior leadership, and drives change across all stages of the staff and student lifecycle.
• Athena Swan Governance: Our gender equality work is steered by the Athena Swan Working Group. Demonstrating our sustained commitment and impact, BCU has successfully achieved the Athena Swan Silver Award.
• Positive Action Programmes: BCU is enrolled in the national 100 Black Women Professors Programme, supporting career progression, mentorship, and representation for Black female academics. Project Zero is also BCU’s approach to reducing the Ethnicity Degree Awarding Gap [EDAG], by addressing systemic, structural and pedagogical barriers that affect Black and Asian heritage students.
• Charters, Equity and Inclusion Steering Groups: BCU aligns its Gender Equality Plan with national equity benchmarks (including Athena Swan and The Race Charter) to systematically address gender representation, career progression, and intersectional equality. Our active Employee Networks and Steering Groups provide key oversight and lived-experience insight, directly informing institutional EDI strategy, peer support, and policy consultation.

3. Data Collection and Monitoring

BCU systematically collects gender and sex data across the entire staff and student lifecycle, including recruitment, promotions, admissions, and awards.

• Annual EDI Reporting: Data is rigorously analysed on an annual basis to produce the EDI Annual Report, directly informing institutional objectives and ensuring an inclusive environment for work and study.

• Gender Pay Gap Reporting: BCU publishes its statutory Annual Gender Pay Gap Report publicly, using these insights to identify structural barriers and monitor the impact of equal pay and progression initiatives.

4. Training and Awareness

BCU provides training to ensure that all staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills required to foster an inclusive environment where staff can effectively contribute and support the implementation of the University’s Gender Equality Plan (GEP).

Training is managed by our HR Organisational Development Team and is delivered across different staff groups, including professional services, researchers, and academic staff. All staff are provided with mandatory online Equality and Unconscious Bias Training, and additional training modules are offered to support this area, such as Menopause at Work and Understanding and Tackling Gender Bias.

Additionally, targeted EDI training workshops are delivered on topics such as Harassment and Bullying, Micro-aggressions, and Inclusive Teaching to ensure positive cultural change. These initiatives are closely linked with BCU's annual xCHANGE Festival, a month-long celebration of International Women's Day and Women's History Month that actively showcases female-led research, networks, and lived experiences across all faculties.

BCU's GEP Focus: Thematic Priority Areas

BCU's Gender Equality Plan (GEP) strategy fully addresses the EU GEP key areas through concrete measures and dedicated networks:

• Work-Life Balance and Organisational Culture: BCU supports Work-life balance and promotes a positive organisational culture. We have multiple policies in place, such as flexible working policy, gender identity and transitioning at work, pregnancy and maternity, family-related leave, fertility treatment, menopause, miscarriage and stillbirth, reasonable adjustments and time off work policies to support our staff. In addition, the Equality and Diversity in Employment Policy covers many important aspects of the employee lifecycle.
• Gender Balance in Leadership and Decision-Making: To advance gender balance in Leadership, under the Athena Swan initiative, the BCU ‘29 Professors’ group have launched the Professors in Preparation Network and Mentoring Scheme to support aspiring female professors and demystify the professorial pathway, providing access to a female-led supportive professional community and targeted career planning.
• Gender Equality in Recruitment and Career Progression: We ensure transparent, merit-based recruitment and career advancement through our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy and Athena Swan framework. All job descriptions are reviewed for gender-neutral language, and selection panels require mandatory unconscious bias training, alongside gender diversity representation. Academic promotion pathways account for career breaks and parental leave, backed by targeted leadership development like the Aurora programme and positive action initiatives to advance female representation in senior roles. BCU also conducts annual Gender Pay Gap reporting and equal pay audits to drive continuous pay equity across all job roles.
• Integration of the Gender Dimension in Research and Teaching: We actively promote the analysis of sex and gender as a variable in all research and innovation carried out at BCU. In teaching, BCU integrates gender-sensitive and inclusive perspectives across its degree programmes, supported by ethical review boards and central EDI toolkits. The BCU Women in Teaching Network also provides a space for mentorship, support, and professional development opportunities for women in teaching roles.
• Measures Against Gender-Based Violence, Including Sexual Harassment: BCU maintain robust policies and mechanisms to address these issues. We use bespoke Report & Support (R&S) reports presented to the Athena Swan Steering Committee (ASSC) every six months to increase awareness and enable analysis of incidents reported by female staff and students.
• Measures Against Gender-Based Violence, Including Sexual Harassment: BCU actively addresses gender-related issues using its bespoke Report & Support (R&S) platform. Biannual data reviewed by the Athena Swan Steering Committee is directly used to track reporting trends, evaluate policy effectiveness, and implement swift preventative safety measures for female staff and students.

Public Document and Formal Adoption

• BCU’s GEP commitment is formally adopted and publicly accessible, primarily demonstrated through our Silver Institutional Athena Swan Action Plan. This action plan has been formally endorsed by senior leaders across the University, setting out specific, measurable goals for gender equality.

This foundation establishes the roadmap as we progress toward the Institutional Gold Award, ensuring sustained, top-down commitment.