Skip to navigation | Skip to main content | Skip to footer
Menu
Search the University of Manchester siteSearch Menu StaffNet

Celebrate International Women's Day

03 Mar 2020

International Women’s Day is on Sunday, 8 March and it’s a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women

IWD

IWD 2020 sees a number of missions to help forge a gender equal world.

Celebrating women's achievements and increasing visibility, while calling out inequality, is key.

We have a number of events taking place on and around campus to mark International Women's Day and we hope it opens the doors to some important discussions around gender equality in the campaign to achieve an equal world. 

Wednesday, 4 March

5pm - 7:30pm, Inspiring Females in the UoM World of Engineering, Renold Building

Do you know an aspiring female engineer in years 11-13 that wants to learn more about the exciting things that are happening in the world of engineering here at our University?

If so, we'd like to invite them to an event to showcase some of our inspirational female academics, staff and students who will be there to share their experiences, journey and research.  Speakers will include our Head of School, Alice Larkin and there will be staff and students from a range of subject areas. The event will compromise of presentations, panel discussions, Q&A with both staff and students as well as the chance to meet them and discover more.

Parents and/or guardians are welcome to attend the event with the student.

Thursday, 5 March

1pm - 2pm, UoM Busy Bees WI - come along to the next meeting of our workplace WI (Women's Institute). Take time out for yourself, make new friends and learn new skills. UMSA Room, (near the Wellbeing Rooms), ground floor of the Simon Building.

1.10pm - 2pm, Black Voices concert at the Martin Harris Centre, free (donations welcome). Black Voices are an all-female a cappella collective who are globally celebrated for their stunning voices and the unique form of vocal music they bring to the world stage. 

2.30pm - 4pm, Black Voices singing workshop (part of Musica Festival 2020). A celebration of women in music with songs from black oral music traditions. Martin Harris Centre, free (donations welcome).

1pm - 3pm, Girls Count: Equity in STEM (Anita Shervington, Wellcome Trust Engagement Fellow and Director of Community Perspectives) University Place, Lecture Theatre B. Anita’s fellowship enables her to explore how science can be driven by social justice and powered by inclusive, equitable and culturally relevant research. She is inspired by the potential of STEM to improve the human condition and protect our planet, when driven by equity, diversity and inclusion and guided by Sustainable Development Goals.

Friday, 6 March

1:10pm - 2pm, MUMS - Musica Festival, Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall, Martin Harris Centre, female music-making has been long underappreciated in the Western music world. Join the student-founded Musica group to celebrate women in music. In this concert, they explore female composers and compositions, performed by our own students. Free.

Saturday, 7 March

12pm for 12:30pm start, join us on a 'Walk for Women' organised by Manchester City Council. All welcome.

Sunday, 8 March

12:15pm, find out more about the founder of John Rylands Library, Enriqueta Rylands. Learn how her drive and passion created one of Manchester’s most unique buildings and a world-class library for all. Free. No need to book, just turn up.

Monday, 9 March

12pm - 2pm, the Division of Pharmacy and Optometry are hosting a stall in the Stopford Building foyer. Dr Katie Finegan will have information on breast cancer, and Professor Kay Marshall, Dr Lynda Harris and Dr Debbie Fischer will have information on ovarian cancer and endometriosis. Student MIND ambassadors will have information on wellbeing. There will be free fruit and cake - please come along to support.

12:30pm - 6pm, Women in Chemistry, the Department of Chemistry will be marking the day with an afternoon of activities in the Chemistry Building. We are welcoming keynote speakers who will be talking about their careers so far and previous students and researchers from the department who will be on our panel session. You'll also have the opportunity to speak to all of our attendees at the networking session where we will have stands on the following career paths: PhD studies, academia, teaching and careers both in and out of chemistry.

  • More information about the afternoon's programme plus register to attend via Eventbrite

1pm - 3pm, the Schools of Environment, Education and Development and Arts, Languages and Cultures have partnered up and will be taking over Humanities Bridgeford Street Building foyer to celebrate the event. There will be tea and cake, a chance to design (and take home) your own #EachforEqual tote, guest speakers, and a feminist literature stand, so there is plenty to get involved with! There will also be a representative from The Pankhurst Trust (incorporating Manchester Women’s Aid and the Pankhurst Centre), and a collection stand for any sanitary products you can donate to the Manchester Central Foodbank. Free to attend.

Tuesday, 10 March

6pm - 7pm,  ‘Gender and Careers, breaking down barriers’, Lecture Theatre 1, Undergraduate Centre, Manchester Royal Infirmary.  The Women in Medicine Society will be holding their next event in conjunction with the School of Medical Sciences Athena SWAN team and will involve a panel discussion. Details of panellists and how to register to attend available via Eventbrite

Wednesday, 11 March

#IAmRemarkable, one hour workshop, repeated at various times throughout the day, Roscoe Building room 2.4

Sessions repeated at 

  • 10:30am - 11:30am 
  • 12:30pm - 1:30pm
  • 1:45pm - 2:45pm
  • Book a session 

#IAmRemarkable is a Google initiative empowering women and underrepresented groups to speak openly about their accomplishments in the workplace and beyond, thereby breaking modesty norms and opening up more opportunities.

In this interactive session, facilitated by external trainer Dr Hannah Roberts, you will participate in group discussions and exercises to develop the confidence and skills to promote yourself effectively. 

2pm - 5pm, IOM3 Women in Materials Spring Seminar 2020, Harwood Room, Barnes Wallis Building. The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3) and the Materials Performance Centre are proud to be hosting the Women in Materials Spring Seminar 2020.The seminar will focus on careers, mentoring and networking for women within the materials industry. All genders are welcome at the event.

6pm - 9pm, Alliance Manchester Business School. Why's Climate Justice a Feminist Issue? The Women's Environmental Network (Wen) fights global problems around gender, health and our environment by taking action on issues affecting our bodies, homes and neighbourhoods.  They work alongside communities supporting action and get a real-world understanding of women’s lived experiences in the process. Come join the conversation for an evening of discussion with stalls and refreshments. Hosted by the School of Social Sciences, enjoy browsing the stalls, participating in an interactive panel discussion, and networking at the Wen reception.

  • Full details of guest speakers, stalls and ticket prices are available via Eventbrite
  • If you are hosting an event to mark International Women's Day 2020, please let us know by emailing uninews@manchester.ac.uk