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International Women's Day

NTU is proud to be hosting a range of events to mark and celebrate International Women's Day (IWD) 2026.

This year’s theme is Give to Gain and aims to highlight the power of generosity, collaboration and active support. By mentoring, sharing expertise, challenging bias, and amplifying women’s voices, we all benefit by co-creating stronger communities, organisations, and institutions.

International Women's Day offers a chance for everyone at NTU to get involved, be inspired, and actively contribute to our ongoing commitment to gender equality. Whether you join an event, engage in discussion, or support a colleague, every action helps make a difference.

Events and activities

Explore the schedule of events and activities happening throughout March and find out how you can get involved.

NTU Hate Crime Research Group Webinars 2025-2026

This session, led by Anda Solea from the University of Portsmouth, explores incel ideology, the discourse surrounding it, and its links to extreme forms of misogyny.

International Women’s Day Meet Up

Join us in the Newton Level 1 Forum to mark International Women’s Day with a collective show of solidarity. Wear purple, the official colour of IWD, to demonstrate your support. We will gather for a group photo, write personal pledges of commitment to International Women’s Day, and stand together in the open forum space to recognise and celebrate the day. The Women’s Staff Network will be present to share information about their work and how colleagues can get involved. Information about women’s leadership and training initiatives will also be available for anyone who would like to learn more.

  • Date: Monday 9 March, 12-2 pm
  • Location: Newton Level 1
  • Audience: Staff
  • How to attend: No sign-up needed; just join us on the day.

Learn more about the Women's Staff Network across University Campuses (Drop-In)

The Women’s Staff Network will be present across our university campuses to share information about their work and how colleagues can get involved. Come and say hello and find out more.

  • Date: Monday 9 March, 12-2 pm
  • Location: Clifton Pavilion, Brackenhurst Main Hall and Mansfield (2nd floor social space)
  • Audience: NTU colleagues who identify as women
  • How to attend: We're running this as a drop-in session, so simply come visit on the day!

Financial Literacy - Building confidence and empowerment through personal journeys

Join NTU’ Maggie Laurikova for an informal session about money confidence, lessons learned and financial choices that are personal and relevant to women. Maggie has been proactively educating herself on matters of financial literacy and sustainable long-term financial planning, thus trying to mitigate years of passivity and lack of confidence in all things personal finance. She wants to share her personal experience and knowledge with other colleagues who may be in a similar situation and hopefully empower them to make sustainable financial planning choices that are right for them.

  • Date: Tuesday 10 March, 12-1 pm
  • Location: Online
  • Audience: NTU colleagues who identify as women
  • How to attend: Sign up via MS Forms.

International Women’s Day Panel: Words of Wisdom – Women’s Career Journeys

A collaborative panel between Nottingham Trent University and Nottingham University Hospitals in the spirit of this year's theme ‘Give to Gain’. This panel will provide insight into these women’s experiences, development and progression through their careers, sharing words of encouragement and wisdom. Chaired by Rhianne-Ebony Marston (Associate EDI Partner). The panel will include: Amy Kyte (CERT Coordinator, CENSce); Loyin Olotu-Umoren (Head of School Operations, NBS); Karen Sleigh (Head of Programme Delivery, NUH).

International Women’s Day Symposium

To celebrate International Women’s Day, the School of Science and Technology are hosting a half day symposium with an introduction from Executive Dean Kirsty Smallbone and talks from Dr Gwen Chen, Dr Miranda Ridgway, Dr Blessing Airhihen, Emma Storey, Dr Paula Almeida and a streamed talk from the EDI team in collaboration with Nottingham University Hospital. These talks will range from discussions of EDI advocacy work, individuals' journeys as working mums and discussions about women in tech.

  • Date: Wednesday 11 March, 11.30 am - 4 pm
  • Location:  JOC005, Clifton Campus
  • Audience: Staff and Students
  • How to attend: Sign up via MS Forms.

Fuel, Focus & Fatigue: Nutrition for Women Who Care for Everyone Else

Join Nutritional Therapist Jan Cooper for an empowering talk designed for women who give their all - at work, home, and everywhere else! Learn practical tips to stabilise energy, support mood, and build sustainable habits.

  • Date: Thursday 12 March, 12:30 -  2 pm
  • Location: Online
  • Audience: NTU colleagues who identify as women
  • How to attend: Sign up via MS Forms.

NTU Employability's International Women's Day Celebration Event 2026

Join us as we celebrate International Women’s Day with an inspiring event focused on empowerment. Hosted by NTU Employability, this session is part of our Women’s Development Programme but is open to all who want to connect with others.

NRTU Enterprise Female Founders Club

Join us for a morning of insight and connection as we hear from women who have built impactful, socially‑driven ventures across health, education and sustainability. They’ll share their stories and we’ll explore what it takes to create purpose‑led businesses that make a difference to people, place and planet. For our March Female Founders Club, we’ve joined forces with Sheridan Chilvers, Ecosystem Engagement Lead at Allia Impact.

Women's Health across the cycle and lifespan

Women’s health affects everyone. From hormone cycles to perimenopause and bone health, we’re unpacking myths and empowering women with information to help them take control of their bodies and wellbeing.​

  • Date: Thursday 26 March, 11 - 12 pm
  • Location: Online
  • Audience: Staff
  • How to attend: Join the talk on Spectrum.Life - If you've not visited the wellbeing platform before, use your usual NTU email address and the Organisation Code G00710337.

Build & BOSS: Enter Your Boss Era

Join us for an unfiltered Business & Women’s Leadership Panel where accomplished women share how they broke into their industries, built influence, navigated setbacks, and made bold moves that paid off.

  • Date: Thursday 26 March, 6 - 8 pm
  • Location: Alea Casino's Bar Esquina
  • Audience: Students
  • How to attend: Sign up via Eventbrite.

Reflections on this year's theme – 'Give to Gain'

We asked our colleagues to share their thoughts on this year's International Women's Day theme 'Give to Gain'...

This year's theme for International Women's Day, Give to Gain, emphasises the power of support, collaboration, and generosity as we keep fighting the fight for gender equality. For me, this means reflecting on opportunities for me to make a difference, as well as celebrating and recognising all those individuals that have given me time, advice, and opportunities to assist my development. One of the ways I Give to Gain is via my work with the Women's Staff Network, working to offer safe, supportive, and celebratory spaces for those who identify as women at NTU as well as be a force for change.

Amy Kyte, CERT Coordinator and Executive Member of the Women's Staff Network

This year’s International Women’s Day theme, Give to Gain, highlights how important it is to support those around us. I have benefitted from the mentorship and support from men and women around me, both at work and personally, and strive to do the same for those women who come after me.  There is still some way to go and I look forward to seeing those changes in my lifetime.

Clare James, Head of EDI Operations

Spotlight on Athena SWAN

As of September 2025, NTU is proud to hold an Athena SWAN Institutional Silver Award.

Athena SWAN is a charter managed by AdvanceHE which recognises and celebrates good practices in higher education and research institutions towards the advancement of gender equality: representation, progression and success for all.

The Athena SWAN Charter is based on ten key principles. By being part of Athena SWAN, NTU is committing to a progressive charter by adopting these principles within our policies, practices, action plans and culture.

Our work around gender equality at NTU was commended by reviewers, and highlighted these areas of good practice:

  • Our strong leadership commitment and our robust governance framework for EDI
  • EDI e-learning - mandatory completion linked to appraisal
  • Provision of Safe Spaces’ that are accessible from 9pm to 9am, located near 24/7 Security

Championing women in research

Here at NTU, we are championing equality in research. All of our academic schools are filled with driven and dedicated women researchers who are working hard every day to make our world a better place.

Meet the women behind the research

Our women researchers come from a variety of backgrounds, and they all have a powerful story to tell. Discover what inspires them and how they are making the world a better place.

Explore stories from NTU researchers

Research reimagined podcast: are we erasing women's experiences?

Our women researchers come from a variety of backgrounds, and they all have a powerful story to tell. Discover what inspires them and how they are making the world a better place.

Listen to the podcast episode

Our community and ongoing initiatives

International Women's Day event with statements on a board

Women’s Staff Network

Our Women’s Staff Network welcomes all NTU colleagues who identify as women. The network exists to create a supportive, aspirational, and motivational space where women across the University can connect, share experiences, and feel empowered.

Created by a group of like‑minded women with a shared passion for gender equality, the network first launched on International Women’s Day 2017. Since then, it has continued to champion gender equality and raise the profile of women at NTU.

The network aims to:

  • raise the visibility and profile of women at NTU
  • empower women in their personal and professional journeys
  • create a supportive, aspirational, and motivational space for women across the University

We always look forward to welcoming new and current members. The network will also be hosting a number of activities as part of International Women’s Day.

New members are encouraged, and you can find more information on MyHub (NTU Staff login required).

Women In Leadership Course

Our hugely successful Women in Leadership course was funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and we are thrilled to announce our ongoing offering of the Women as Transformational Leaders course.

The programme is delivered by leading academics from Nottingham Business School and is designed for women working in or aiming for leadership and management roles. What's more, the course is accredited at Level 7, meaning that participants can earn 10 credits towards a Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership and Management Practice.

WHEN Career Accelerator

WHEN’s proven Career Accelerator programme supports women (including trans women and non‑binary people who are comfortable in a female‑centred space) to sharpen their career ambitions and develop a realistic, values‑driven plan for achieving their goals.

The May Cohort (6–7 May) is specifically for colleagues working in Professional Services roles.

Participants will get:

  • Pre‑workshop reflection activities
  • Strategic career‑planning skills
  • Small group coaching
  • A personal career action plan
  • A supportive network of like‑minded professionals

Time commitment: In‑person, two‑day workshop, plus two 90‑minute coach‑led, peer‑group embedding sessions.

Deadline: Applications for the May cohort close at 12 pm on Monday 16 March.

Daring to Dare

The Directorate of Research Culture and Environment is very pleased to be inviting Dr Sandrine Soubes back to NTU this year to offer her excellent women’s leadership development programme, Daring to Dare.

The aim is to provide structured support for women in the Postgraduate Researcher (PGR) and Early Career Researcher (ECR) phases of their academic careers (ECR includes roles from postdoctoral to lecturer levels).

The purpose of the programme is to bring women together to learn from and support one another, benefit from peer mentorship and mentoring from Dr Sandrine Soubes, and have constructive accountability as they create and protect time to focus on their own development.

The 2026 programme will run over 4 months, from March to June.

Discover more and submit your application for Daring to Dare.

NTU Library's Hidden Voices Campaign

The library currently oversees the Hidden Voices collection, which is made up of suggestions from across the University in different subject areas whose voices have not been heard.  Staff can share with us books and articles written by authors from a historically marginalised background via the Hidden Voices submission form. The library will then purchase these titles, where possible.

Based on some of the titles included in the university collections, an International Women's Day collection has been collated, including fiction, non-fiction and academic reading about Women, their empowerment, lived experiences, social justice, and various intersecting identities.

Discover more about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at NTU

NTU is dedicated to working to strategically advance equality, diversity and inclusion, and to support a culture of engagement underpinned by respect.

As part of International Women’s Day, we are reaffirming our commitment to advancing gender equality and creating an environment where women can thrive.

If you have a general question for the EDI team at NTU, please email us.

Get involved on social media

We welcome you to engage with International Women’s Day online by following our Facebook, Instagram and TikTok channels.

Use the hashtags #IWD2026 and #GiveToGain to join the national conversation.