Co-Design to Evaluate the Impact of Gender Equality Initiatives: Lessons for Practitioners, Evaluators and Researchers

Achieving gender equality is an ongoing challenge in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) disciplines in universities globally, including in Australia, where our study was located. As institutions that deliver research and teaching in STEMM, universities have committed to a range of initiatives and programs to address this challenge. The Athena Swan Institutional Award is one such program, operating as an accreditation process that measures progress towards gender equality, and is reliant on demonstrating impact. The work required to meet accreditation standards is extensive. Very little academic literature has advanced qualitative methodology suited to delivering the evaluation of gender equality initiatives. This paper describes our approach to evaluation, informed by a feminist paradigm and incorporating research co-design as our methodology. We discuss engaging co-designers and forming co-designed research projects, as well as applying and undertaking fieldwork using this methodology. Our successful approach is intended as a guide for practitioners and academics evaluating gender equality programs in higher education, and in other sectors.