Marvin OnumonuThe University of Manchester hosted the first Women in Higher Education Network (WHEN) conference in the North of England on 26th June.
Around 250 women working in higher education attended.
The event opened with a welcome from Professor Duncan Ivison, president and vice chancellor of the University of Manchester.
Professor Rachel Cowen at the University of Manchester discussed the contribution of women in higher education and the current representation of women in academic and professional services roles.
Meanwhile, Professor Dawn Edge spoke about hypervisibility, silencing and the importance of community.
Sarah Fox chaired a panel discussion looking at career trajectories, where sector leaders shared examples of what being bold has meant during their careers.
In the afternoon, attendees joined workshops such as the art of saying no and addressing microaggressions with confidence.
Professor Jackie Carter chaired a PechaKucha session where women shared personal experiences and encouraged others to be bold.
Networking took place throughout the day, with time set aside to celebrate achievements of women across the sector.
Professor Olive Mugenda, the first female vice chancellor in East Africa, attended with 30 women from Kenya and Manchester as part of a senior women leaders’ retreat.
The retreat formed part of British Council and university funded work to address under-representation of women at executive level.
The week focused on strategic leadership, teaching and learning, and building collaborations.
