The ACU is delighted to announce that five of its member institutions have been selected as University Impact Champions as part of the UN’s HeForShe initiative, which aims to achieve greater gender equality globally.

Ten influencers have been chosen in each of three key public spheres, encompassing government, commerce and universities. These IMPACT champions have been chosen for their commitment to implementing the HeForShe IMPACT framework.

The ACU members which have been selected as University IMPACT champions are:

• The University of Hong Kong, China
• University of Leicester, UK
• University of Oxford, UK
• University of Waterloo, Canada                                
• University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

The role of IMPACT champions - who will spearhead and influence the movement for change from the top - is to create tailored high impact solutions, to advance gender equality within their communities. Examples include the development of a Gender Equity Office at the University of the Witwatersrand and a First Response app at the University of Oxford.

The ACU is committed to promoting gender equity in higher education. Through its Gender Programme, the ACU offers training, workshops, benchmarking and events, such as the gender conference, to support this goal. Next year’s gender conference will focus on the theme ‘Missing Women’ and will be held at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.

Missing Women will focus on the role the Post-Secondary Education (PSE) sector can play in ending the erasure of women’s lives and experiences from the public sphere. From gender-based violence and warfare, to marginalisation in education, politics and economics, women continue to face a variety of challenges globally. More information about the conference will be available nearer the time.

To read more about the HeForShe campaign’s IMPACT 10x10x10, visit the HeForShe website.