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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.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and Department for Business and Trade
Published:
1 July 2026
Last updated:
20 October 2026
Show all updates

  1. 'University of the Built Environment' added to the list of Charter signatories.

  2. 'The Pirbright Institute' added as a new signatory to the Women in Research Charter.

  3. Added Loughborough University and University of Cumbria to the list of signatories.

  4. Added Bath Spa University, Liverpool Hope University and University for the Creative Arts to the list of signatories.

  5. Added 'Babraham Institute' to the list of Charter signatories to the Women in Research Charter guidance publication.

  6. Updated with details on how to sign the charter, and added Cancer Research UK, University of Kent and The Quadram Institute to the list of signatories.

  7. First published.

Documents

Women in Research Charter

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Women in Research Charter: Good Practice Pack

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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.

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