Colleagues from across the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York came together last month for the inaugural White Rose Women Connect, a one-day conference focused on gender equality, leadership and collaboration across the White Rose University Consortium.

Organised by the three partner institution women’s networks, the event created space for reflection, connection and practical exchange. It brought together institutional leaders and advocates to share experiences, build partnerships and explore how collective action can support women’s career development across Yorkshire’s higher education community.

The idea for White Rose Women Connect emerged from conversations about shared challenges and untapped collective strength. For Tao Jiang, Associate Professor of Marketing Practice at the University of Leeds and co-chair of the Women At Leeds Network, the inspiration came while taking part in the White Rose Equity in Leadership Programme, which supports the career progression of colleagues from global majority backgrounds. Tao reflected that many participants were women from a wide range of cultural, professional and social backgrounds who nonetheless shared a deep determination to succeed, persevere and lead.

“As I listened to the stories and experiences of my peers, I realised how powerful it was to be in a room where women who might never otherwise have crossed paths could speak openly about their journeys, their ambitions and the barriers they navigate within academia,” she said.

“It made me ask: what could we achieve together that we could not accomplish alone?”

That question became the driving force behind White Rose Women Connect, a cross-university platform designed to bring women together beyond institutional boundaries. The initiative aims to enable shared learning, mutual support and collaborative action, while creating a space where women’s leadership, experiences and insights can be recognised and strengthened, contributing to more equitable cultures across the Consortium.

Creating space for connection

The January conference programme reflected this ambition. Alongside reflections on women’s careers and leadership in higher education, participants took part in speed-dating style shared learning sessions, networking conversations and structured discussions focused on moving forward together as a consortium.

For many attendees, it was the quality of the conversations, both formal and informal, that stood out most.

“The best parts of the day were when real connection started happening,” Tao reflected. “Colleagues from all three universities jumped straight into open, honest conversations about what’s working and what isn’t. Watching people connect so naturally, even though they’d never met before, really showed what Women Connect is all about.”

Charlene Tyreman, Equality and Inclusion Manager at the University of Leeds, noted the value of bringing together colleagues engaged in similar equity and inclusion work across different institutions.

“The event offered a valuable space for shared learning and collaboration,” she said. “There was a strong focus on collective action, particularly how networks might work together to elevate the profile of gender equality.”

“Intersectionality emerged as an important part of these conversations, highlighting the need to recognise and respond to the multiple identities individuals hold, such as gender alongside ethnicity or disability.”

Participants also reflected on the strengths of their own networks and considered how good practice could be meaningfully shared across institutions.

Conversations that mattered

Bringing the three women’s networks together helped shape an atmosphere of openness and solidarity throughout the day.

“It changed the feel of the event,” Tao explained. “Instead of each group focusing on its own institution, the room felt bigger, with broader perspectives, more experiences and more energy. People were curious about how things worked elsewhere, and that curiosity opened up richer, more honest conversations.”

Professor Cynthia Iglesias, Professor of Health Economics and co-chair of the Women in Research Network at the University of York, also reflected on the value of the structured exchange between institutions.

“I really liked the process of progressing from within-university ‘how are we doing’ reflections to openly exchanging structure and practice across universities. This provided us with a direction of travel from where we are at, to where we would like to be. Crucially, it provided alternative ideas about how to get to where we would like to be.”

Cynthia added that there was “a real sense of safety, collective purpose, solidarity, curiosity and collaboration that energised the room and facilitated open exchange of experiences.”

Building momentum for future collaboration

Looking ahead, organisers hope White Rose Women Connect will act as a springboard for deeper and more intentional collaboration across the Consortium.

“I’d love for Women Connect to help formalise the collaboration that’s already starting to happen,” said Tao.

“By agreeing shared priorities, creating digital spaces to exchange resources and rotating leadership, we can make this work more visible, sustainable and impactful.”

These steps would strengthen collaboration across the three networks and support each institution’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. Together, they offer a more systematic and coordinated approach to advancing women’s career and professional development.

Tao added that White Rose Women Connect has the potential to become “a beacon of light in the North, showcasing the best of what collaborative, equity-driven partnership can achieve”.

The work also reflects the White Rose University Consortium’s wider commitment to advancing inclusive leadership, empowering careers and strengthening collaboration across its partner universities.

​​Karen Hinxman, Head of the White Rose University Consortium, said:

“White Rose Women Connect demonstrates the impact of working together across our universities to create more inclusive cultures and opportunities for leadership. By fostering connection, shared learning and collective action, initiatives like this play an important role in delivering our strategic ambitions for equity, collaboration and positive cultural change.”