Gender equality
GCU's long-standing dedication to delivering impact on the United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has seen the University named fourth in the world – and number one in the UK – for promoting gender equality in the latest Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings, published in April 2022.
The University was ranked joint 70th in the world overall out of 1,406 universities, which placed it in the top 5% globally. The overall rankings also placed GCU 3rd in Scotland and 14th in the UK.
The University has been ranked for SDG 5: Gender Equality based on its research related to gender equality, as well as metrics including the proportion of female students, the proportion of female senior academics in senior roles, (52% of Senior Academic Staff at GCU are female); student access measures and measures relating to women's progress. GCU has already been formally recognised for its commitment to gender equality by attaining Advance HE's Athena SWAN Institutional Silver Award, one of only two Scottish institutions to hold this accolade.
First published in 2019, the University Impact Rankings provide a way of assessing excellence in universities and shine a light on the institutions that are working hard to tackle global issues such as gender equality, climate change and access to education for all. They show how the global higher education sector is working towards developing the world in a sustainable way.
Examples of the University’s key achievements
- GCU has achieved the prestigious Athena Swan Silver Award. Driven by our Advancing Gender Equality Group, GCU is an active member of the Athena Swan Scottish Regional Network. Our academic schools have each achieved Athena Swan Departmental awards too - Silver for SCEBE and Bronze for GSBS and SHLS.
- Our commitment to preventing and responding to gender-based and sexual violence. This is a priority area for GCU and an important aspect of our overall approach to safeguarding the wellbeing of our students.
- Involvement in SmartSTEMS to encourage young women into STEM subjects, Primary Engineer to encourage young people into engineering and Headstart, Inspire for Girls, Inspire for Boys, Engineering Development Trust programmes that include development of soft skills, experience of lab time and academic staff and student sessions.
- Gender inclusive student wellbeing policies including the Student Pregnancy and Maternity Policy and the Trans Student Policy.
- GCU has been a Living Wage Employer for over 10 years. In addition to this, GCU was confirmed as Scotland’s first accredited Living Wage University employer.
- Annual celebration of International Women's Day with events and activities involving students and staff from across all our campuses
Watch our short films from a few of the talented female graduates who studied at Glasgow Caledonian University:
Karin Helwig
Environmental Researcher, School of Engineering and Built Environment
Shona Macdonald
Fire Engineer, Fire Risk Engineering course at GCU
Sarah Finlay
MA 3D Design for Virtual Environments 3D Visualisation Specialist at Soluis