Committee publication · Correspondence · 8 July 2026
Correspondence from Secretary of State, re. Launch of the Women in Research Charter, 30 June
Summary
Secretary of State Liz Kendall writes to inform the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee of the launch of the Women in Research Charter on 1 July 2026. The voluntary charter sets commitments for research funders and organisations across six outcomes: improved support for parents/carers, data transparency, flexible working, eliminating bias in hiring and grants, inclusive workplace culture, and best-practice sharing. Over 50 founding signatories have pledged support.
Key findings
- Women remain underrepresented in UK research workforce due to systemic barriers including lack of childcare support and family caring responsibilities affecting career progression
- Charter comprises six outcome areas: parental/carer support (matching UKRI doctoral student provisions), data transparency with comparable metrics, flexible working, bias elimination in grant/job processes, zero-tolerance workplace culture, and best-practice sharing
- Over 50 organisations have committed as founding signatories, including government, research funders, and performing organisations
- Charter builds on existing sector initiatives (Athena Swan, Daphne Jackson Trust, discipline-specific programmes) rather than replacing them
- DSIT commits to keep the Committee updated on implementation and seeks parliamentary support for improving women's outcomes in research
Tone
SupportiveTopics
Key actors
Liz Kendall (Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology), Dame Chi Onwurah MP (Science, Innovation and Technology Committee), Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Daphne Jackson Trust, Athena Swan
Notable line
“Women remain underrepresented in the research workforce with systemic factors like lack of support around childcare and other family caring responsibilities preventing academic …”
Key Quotes
“The UK's science and research strengths are central to our mission to drive economic growth, raise productivity and improve living standards across the country.”
“Women remain underrepresented in the research workforce with systemic factors like lack of support around childcare and other family caring responsibilities preventing academic career progression”
“This Charter will only succeed if it builds on, and strengthens, the excellent work already underway across the sector.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗