Celebrated annually on 08 March, International Women’s Day commemorates the economic, social, political and cultural achievements of women around the globe. This year, the theme of International Women’s Day is For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment, which serves as a global call for solidarity in ensuring gender equality across the globe.
A bold message, this year’s theme calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind. In recent years, backlash against gender parity has grown yet, as School Director Davide Ravasi notes below, UCL School of Management remains committed to advancing societal progress for lasting change.
a message from davide ravasi
At the UCL School of Management we strive to uphold diversity, equity, and inclusion as key principles, and we are committed to building a community in which these values are celebrated. I am proud to say that the UCL School of Management community has an almost even split of women and men, and we have been long committed to supporting and encouraging women and other minorities to achieve their maximum potential.
Additionally, the UCL School of Management’s Senior Management Team is almost evenly comprised of men and women and, with the recent announcement of our ongoing expansion plans, we have more women holding Programme Director and Programme Deputy Director positions than ever before.
To support this, we are also a member of the 30% Club, a global, non-profit, campaign to boost female representation in leadership roles in organisations. In recent years, we have also partnered with the BBC 50:50 Equality Project to systemise and expand our diversity monitoring and representation of women and minority groups.
We are also extremely proud to share that the UCL School of Management recently hosted the inaugural She Shapes AI event on Level 50 of our home in Canary Wharf. This event saw 100 women gather from around the world to shine a spotlight on female entrepreneurs who are using and implementing artificial intelligence to deliver real-world impact.
In addition, the 2024/25 academic year saw our Communications and Marketing team recruit Social Media Ambassadors from our student population for the very first time with the aim of leveraging social media to showcase life at the School. 80% of these Social Media Ambassadors are female students across a number of our programmes, and we are thrilled to work with them and ensure their voices are heard and their stories are represented.
In recent years, the world has seen changes in the political landscape that have undoubtedly hindered the global fight for gender equality – particularly in relation to legislation changes in equality and diversity initiatives. Despite this external environment, the UCL School of Management will remain committed to advancing societal progress and empowering the next generation - particularly young women - and will maintain our historical efforts in driving for equality.
2025 marks 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a plan signed by 189 governments in 1995 to achieve equal rights of all women and girls. The UN Secretary-General’s report on progress found that only 87 countries have ever been led by a woman, and in 2024 nearly a quarter of governments around the world reported a backlash on women’s rights. I hope that today, and every day, we make small actions and changes that help us become more inclusive and supportive towards one another.
Read more about the research, achievements and experiences of the UCL School of Management community to commemorate International Women’s Day:
- Professor and UCL MBA Programme Director Harveen Chugh delves into the challenges facing women in the workplace and how an MBA can support women in reaching senior leadership roles
- Assistant Professor Angela Aristidou takes us through the codes often used in AI that can perpetuate bias, as well as the ways in which this technology can be used to support women’s advancement
- Management Science alumna Tanika Dahad talks FinTech career at MoneyBox and how she’s using her podcast to highlight the gender health gap
- MSc Entrepreneurship alumna and eNOugh Founder Ina Jovicic acknowledges the changing startup scene for women and why ensuring their safety is an important first step towards women’s advancement
