International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated globally on 8 March to acknowledge the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. This year’s theme is 'Inspire Inclusion'. The theme is a call to action for people to get involved and collectively forge a more inclusive world for women. You can read more on the IWD website.

In celebration of IWD 2024 the following activities are taking place on campus:

Women at Sussex exhibition in the Library – throughout March

In a special Women at Sussex exhibition for the whole of March, portraits taken by University photographer Stuart Robinson are on display in the wellbeing and study areas adjacent to the Library café. Showcasing some of Sussex’s amazing women from the breadth of academia and Professional Services here, the portraits are accompanied by encouraging statements to fellow women.

The exhibition has been curated by Dr Elizabeth Rendon-Morales, Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the School of Engineering and Informatics, and Dr Louise Newnham, Athena SWAN lead in the School of Life Sciences. A full collection of portraits taken by Stuart in 2023 and 2024 is available on the Women at Sussex webpage and a full set of photos and supportive comments by a wider group of Sussex’s women is available on Padlet.  

The exhibition has been sponsored by the EDI team, the Library, and the Schools of Engineering and Informatics and Life Sciences.

See this gallery of photos from the launch event:

Vice-Chancellor Sasha Roseneil said: “This exhibition is a wonderful visual representation of what is possible. Although the world has changed a lot since I first started my career, there do remain significant structural, relational, and psychological barriers for women in universities. Seeing these fabulous images of women at Sussex doing jobs that they love – and that they have worked incredibly hard to get to do – all around the Library is incredibly important, and is inspirational for our staff and students.”

The University would also like to acknowledge each school's commitment to gender equality, as demonstrated through their ongoing Athena SWAN work. A brilliant example of this is the Gold Charter Mark recently awarded to Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS). The Athena SWAN Charter was established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine in higher education and research. It was expanded in May 2015 to aim for gender equality for all staff in all subject areas in academia, in professional and support roles, and for trans staff and students. Read more about the award.

Celebrating International Women’s Day in the School of Engineering and Informatics 

International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March, and the School of Engineering and Informatics is commemorating this occasion by highlighting the remarkable contributions of women in the fields of Engineering, Informatics, and Product Design under the theme "Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress".

Women continue to be underrepresented in these disciplines due to gender stereotyping, systemic biases, and a lack of visible role models. IWD aims to shed light on the exceptional achievements of women in these fields and encourage more women to pursue careers in STEM.

At the University of Sussex, students from the School of Engineering and Informatics have been invited to share their undergraduate and postgraduate research in a showcase for the School. The students have also been invited to contribute inspiring messages of their own experiences as women in STEM to raise awareness about supporting female students and colleagues in these disciplines.

A display of the student showcase has been set up in the Chichester 1 foyer and will be available to visit throughout March. "We are excited to showcase some of the research that women in our School are producing. The exhibit demonstrates what a diverse range of research topics our students' work covers, from environmentally responsible scuba-diving, to acoustic metamaterials, computers for dogs, ethical AI, and everything in between- we're incredibly proud of the research output of our students," says Dr. Charlotte Robinson, an EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) team member from the School of Engineering and Informatics.

For those unable to visit the physical display, the images showcasing the research and achievements of women in Engineering, Informatics, and Product Design can also be found and viewed on an online Padlet. This digital platform allows for wider accessibility and ensures that the inspiring work of these women can be celebrated and shared beyond the University's premises.

Events coming up for International Women’s Day

Take part in the free events and screenings available:

Tuesday 5 March - This Stained Dawn: Feminist documentary and director Q&A
IDS Convening Space and online, 1pm-3.15pm

An International Women’s Day film screening of ‘This Stained Dawn‘, a documentary film about the build up to the 2020 Aurat March (women’s march) in Pakistan. The screening will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the globally acclaimed film director and producer Anam Abbas. Find out more and book your place.

Thursday 7 March - Understanding gender backlash: Southern perspectives
IDS Convening Space and online, 12.30pm-2pm

This event will launch the new IDS Bulletin ‘Understanding Gender Backlash: Southern Perspectives’ (published on 7 March). It will address the urgent question of how we can better understand the recent swell of anti-gender backlash across different regions, exploring different types of actors, interests, narratives, and tactics for backlash in different places, policy areas, and processes. Register to watch online.

Friday 8 March - Uncovering and celebrating ADHD & autism in women
Online, 1pm-2pm

This event is being run by Organisational Development and The Womanhood in collaboration with several schools, including Law, Politics and Sociology, Life Sciences, Engineering and Informatics, and Brighton and Sussex Medical School. You can read more about the event and book your place.

Wednesday 20 March - The historical representation of Women in Mathematics
Jubilee lecture theatre, 6.30pm-8.30pm.

The Maths department is organising a public lecture with Professor June Barrow-Green (from Open University) who will talk about the Historical Representation of Women in Mathematics, a topic which will be of interest not just to maths specialists but also to a more general public. Find out more and book your ticket.

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