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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) 2024.

The IWD theme this year is #InspireInclusion. Together, we will celebrate women’s achievements and imagine a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.

This month is for everyone at NTU to be inspired by and get involved.

Events and activities

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

Public speaking workshop

Tuesday 5 March, 5.30 pm - 7pm, Dryden 005, City Campus

Audience: All NTU students who identify as female and non-binary.

NTU Employability is running events to help female and non-binary students to develop key skills, network with inspiring professionals' help.

Join us for this exciting workshop all about developing your public speaking skills. Delivered by Mitzie Williams, a Lecturer in Criminal Law and Nottingham Law School, public speaking consultant and coach of TEDxMaidMarianWay. You will also get the chance to win a ticket to a TEDx event this October.

Book a place on the public speaking workshop


Grow your professional confidence masterclass

Wednesday 6 March, 3-4 pm on Microsoft Teams

Audience: All NTU staff

This interactive training session will teach you how to grow your professional confidence by helping you to understand and alter the habits which contribute to higher and lower confidence at work. You’ll have a chance to learn, share experiences and create your own actionable plan to grow your confidence in 2024.

The session will be conducted by Anna Manning, owner of Yes You Coaching, an International Coaching Federation certified coach and former lawyer. Anna specialises in supporting professionals to increase their confidence and effectiveness at work through mind management and internal awareness.

Find out more about the grow your professional confidence masterclass.


International Women’s Day 2024 ‘Inspire Inclusion’ celebration event

Friday 8 March, 12-2 pm, Newton Lecture Theatre 5, City Campus

Audience: All NTU students and staff

Join guest speaker, Ezinwanne Raymond, Policy and Influencing Officer at Nottingham Women’s Centre for this in-person event to celebrate International Women’s Day. You’ll have the opportunity to connect with women outside academia who are making a change for women’s rights and take part in discussions.

The event is hosted by NTU’s Critical Criminology and Social Justice Research Group and Hate Crime Research Group.
If you have any questions about this event or have any accessibility requirements, please contact the event organisers, Dr Irene Zempi, Dr Hind Elhinnawy or Dr Ian Mahoney.

Find out more about the Inspire Inclusion celebration event.


Panel discussion hosted by NTU’s Women’s Staff Network

Friday 8 March, 1-2.30 pm on Microsoft Teams

Audience: All NTU staff

As part of IWD, and following conversations at our menopause cafes, the Women's Staff Network is delighted to invite you to a Q&A panel with colleagues from HR, EDI and NTU’s research community.

Our colleagues will talk through several key policies, activities and support available, focusing on those that are important to women and families. We’ll look at what's currently available in areas such as adoption leave, maternity leave, support with the menopause, and take this opportunity to explore what more could be done.

You can submit questions to the panel in advance by emailing ntuwomen@ntu.ac.uk by 12 pm on Tuesday 5 March. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions on the day.

Find out more about the panel discussion.


Afro Coils and Yorùbá Crowns: celebrating natural hair

Friday 8 March, 2.30-4.30 pm, NTU Global Lounge, City Campus

Audience: All NTU students and staff

Immerse yourself in an interactive learning session where you’ll explore different hair textures, savour delectable Nigerian snacks and enjoy uplifting music.

This Afro coils celebration and Yorùbá hairstyles exploration is the ninth of award-winning Yorùbá-Nigerian writer, poet and lecturer Abíọ́dún Ọlátòkunbọ̀ Abdul’s event series. It focuses on cultural and social themes related to Yorùbá/Nigeria/Africa/diaspora.

Find out more about the Afro Coils and Yorùbá Crowns learning session.


Free fitness classes at City Sports Centre

Friday 8 March, City Sports Centre, City Campus

Audience: All NTU students and staff

NTU Sport is supporting International Women's Day by offering free fitness classes at City Sports Centre. These sessions include:

  • Pilates – 7.10-7.55 am
  • Spin Fusion – 8.05-8.50 am
  • Yoga – 12.15-13.00 pm
  • Learn to Lift – 12.15-12.45 pm
  • Zumba – 1.15-2 pm
  • Learn to Lift – 17.15-17.45 pm
  • Free Play for Fun Women’s Basketball – 8-9 pm

All sessions can be booked through the NTU Sport app.


NTU Moves+ 25000 steps for International Women's Day

Friday 8– Sunday 10 March

Audience: All NTU students and staff

To support IWD 2024, NTU Moves challenges you to walk 25,000 steps between Friday 8 and Sunday 10 March to earn yourself 60 points. Complete the challenge to be entered into our prize draw to win an Amazon Echo dot. Good luck!

Find out more about the NTU Moves challenge.

Theatre Trip: Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World

Tuesday 12 March, 7 pm, Nottingham Theatre Royal, Theatre Square, Nottingham

Audience: All NTU students

Join us for a trip to Nottingham's Theatre Royal to see empowering pop musical Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World.

Join our inquisitive heroine Jade as she breaks away from her class to take a peek behind the scenes at the not yet open Gallery of Greatness in the local museum. Along her journey she is surprised to meet the incredible wonder women: Frida Kahlo, Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, Mary Seacole, Marie Curie and Emmeline Pankhurst, to name just a few.

Location: Nottingham Theatre Royal, Theatre Square, Nottingham NG1 5ND
Cost: £9 (a discount on the usual price £20). Booking is essential as places are limited.
Time: Doors open 6 pm which is one hour before the performance, please allow yourself plenty of time to find your seats. Performance starts at 7 pm.

Find out more about the Theatre Trip and book your place.


International Women's Day Celebration Event

Tuesday 12 March, 5.30 pm - 7 pm, Dryden 005, City Campus

Audience: All NTU students who identify as female and non-binary.

NTU Employability is running events to help female and non-binary students to develop key skills, network with inspiring professionals' help.

We are celebrating International Women's Day and our Women's Development Programme 2024! Hear inspiring stories and from our key-note speaker, Mitzie Williams, a Lecturer in Criminal Law and Nottingham Law School, public speaking consultant and coach of TEDxMaidMarianWay. You will also get the chance to win a ticket to a TEDx event this October.

Book to attend the IWD Celebration Event


International Women's Day Menopause Café

Thursday 14 March 12-1 pm, Newton N35, City Campus

Audience: All NTU staff who identify as female.

At this informal gathering, we'll be looking at how we can inspire ourselves and others to understand and value the conversation around menopause to make it more inclusive. This forum offers the opportunity to share experiences in a safe and supportive environment and you're welcome to attend whether you're going through the menopause, peri-menopausal, have yet to do so, or been there and got the t-shirt.

Find out more about the International Women's Day Menopause Café.

Share your reflections on this year's theme, 'inspire inclusion'

When we inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we forge a better world.

And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there's a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.

Collectively, we can create a more inclusive world for women.

Share your reflections on this year's theme, and what it means to you, by leaving a message on our Padlet.

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. Explore their stories and some of their work below.

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.

Listen now: 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.

Our community

International Women's Day event with statements on a board

Our Women's Staff Network welcomes all NTU colleagues who identify as women and its purpose is to create a supportive, aspirational and motivational space for women. It first launched on International Women’s Day 2017. The network will be hosting a number of activities as part of International Women’s Day. Join the network here.

NTU is proud to hold an Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze 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.

Find out more.

Women in Leadership

Women in Leadership course group photo delivered in Tuesday 3 December 2019

Our hugely successful Women in Leadership course, funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) has recently concluded. However, 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.

Find our more about this transformative course.

Engage with International Women’s Day online by following our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels. Use the hashtags #IWD2024 and #InspireInclusion to join the national conversation.