Guidance
Women in Research Charter
A voluntary commitment to improve outcomes for women across the UK research system, with actions for research funders and research performing organisations.
Documents
Details
The Women in Research Charter is a voluntary commitment to improve outcomes for women across the UK research system. It includes actions for research funders and research performing organisations, including universities that do both.
The charter includes a headline commitment of a minimum standard on family leave for doctoral researchers. It also sets out shared expectations for funders and research performing organisations across 6 themes:
- Improved support for parents and carers
- Consistent data and transparency
- Enabling more flexible working
- Eliminating bias from grant and job application processes
- Ensuring an inclusive workplace culture with zero tolerance for bullying and harassment
- Sharing and implementing best practice across the research sector
The good practice pack contains examples of current initiatives from across the sector that illustrate the principles of the charter.
Updates to this page
Published 1 July 2026