Inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA) are integral to the culture of the ANU College of Systems and Society (CSS) and the way that we learn and work together.
We are deeply committed to advancing initiatives that redress historical exclusion and amplify the voices of historically excluded groups in our community.
Leadership in IDEA
CSS is one of the first Colleges at The Australian National University (ANU) to have explicit diversity representation in its senior leadership structure. The formation of the Associate Dean - Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (AD-IDEA) position and supporting operational team underscores the College's intention to meaningfully support these initiatives. CSS is setting the benchmark for investment in a specialised IDEA strategic and operational infrastructure.
Our strategy
In March 2023, the College proudly launched a Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion and Equity Strategy 2023-2025. This strategy has been designed to help mobilise us to tackle our longstanding challenges and create an environment that will enable us to recruit and retain undergraduate, postgraduate, and higher degree research (HDR) students and staff from groups that have traditionally been excluded from our disciplines. The Strategy provides an overarching vision and principles for the College that will empower each of its organisational units to develop their own action plan that is contextually relevant and aligned with our strategic priorities.
Unit action plans
With the support and guidance of the Associate Dean (IDEA) and IDEA team, each organisational unit within the College has established a IDEA working group to develop and execute an action plan for that unit that responds to the College strategy.
Download our strategy
Access our College's Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion, and Equity Strategy 2023-2025
Get involved
If you would like to learn more about our College IDEA strategy, working groups and IDEA initiatives, contribute ideas or get involved, please contact the team.
IDEA team
inclusion.css@anu.edu.au
Associate Dean - IDEA
ad.idea.css@anu.edu.au
Resources
Community and culture in the College
80 YEARS TOGETHER.
Explore our 80th anniversary celebrations and get involved.
Engineering an inclusive community: Speed networking for International Women in Engineering Day
ANU recognises women in engineering through Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) initiatives.
Australian National University achieves it’s first SAGE Cygnet Award for Action on Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response
This Cygnet Award earned by ANU reflects more than five years of evidence-based reform to challenging harmful attitudes and improve institutional…
Period project
Let's talk about periods. Menstruation is a normal part of life, including life at work and at university!
According to UNICEF, 1.8 billion people across the world menstruate every month. Millions of people who menstruate do not have access to products to help manage their menstrual cycle in a dignified, healthy way. Gender inequality, discriminatory social norms and lack of basic services like toilets and sanitary products can cause menstrual health and hygiene needs to go unmet.
Seeing menstrual products in male bathrooms might be new to some of us – they have been placed there for the simple reason that some people who menstruate use male bathrooms. We are providing free menstrual hygiene products to all staff, students, and visitors to CASS – regardless of their gender identity.
To find out more, you may wish to check out the following resources:
- UNICEF’s work to promote menstrual health
- WHO’s Statement on menstrual health and rights
- Kenny Jones writes about what it’s like to deal with periods as a trans man
The Period Project is an initiative of the Inclusion Diversity Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) team. It aims to normalise menstruation in the ANU College of Systems and Society (CSS) as a place of work and learning, by making menstrual products freely and obviously available to all students, staff and visitors.Free sanitary products are available in all toilet facilities (pads and tampons) in the CSS precinct. Feel free to take what you need.
Scholarships for women students
The College has a range of academic and access scholarships on offer, to help women with the cost of studies.