Box ticking won’t fix research culture
If you support the development of researchers — and want to offer something meaningful for the women in your community — UNIque was designed with you in mind.
What could your women researchers achieve if they had the support to truly lead, thrive, and shape the future of research?
For your institution, that means stronger retention and greater diversity in leadership pipelines.
A visible commitment to supporting the full career journey of women in research. It’s not just good for individuals — it’s essential for a thriving, inclusive research culture.
But thirty years in and around Higher Education institutions have shown me that …
individuals matter.
- The unique idea that became the Nobel prize.
- The diversity of ideas in a research group that clinched that grant.
- The visionary that changed the curriculum to tap into student potential.
And yet we are losing those unique voices …
You’re in the right place if…
- You want to retain women researchers—and stop talent quietly slipping away.
- You’re serious about equity—but don’t want to create yet another working group.
- You know mentoring matters—but time and consistency are hard to maintain.
- You want a solution that’s evidence-based, scalable, and already works.
The figures speak for themselves
%
UK University Gender Pay Gap
%
of UK professors are women
I know from personal experience, researcher developers see these challenges up close and personal.
It can be heartbreaking to see talented women leaving research. Or worse, staying but feeling disengaged, stuck, or undervalued. We see, through our work, a distinct lack of confidence and visibility among women researchers when applying, negotiating, or leading. The silence around ambition can be almost deafening – women hesitant to speak up, ask for more, or explore new options.
You are constantly juggling the pressure to deliver quality career enhancing provision for time poor researchers, all whilst time constrained yourself. Add in the search for venues or choosing the ‘perfect’ time for an event … Even your creative, caring approach will struggle to meet EDI goals – without tokenism or one-size-fits-all solutions
Meet the course that became the Amazon Bestseller
Passion. Frustration. Desire.
These personal colliding forces created UNIque – my flagship women’s development programme.
Passion for personal development so that all researchers can craft positive and proactive careers.
Frustration at the system that was just losing too many ideas and diminishing too many people. Our world needs the sparky, brilliant people in all arenas.
Desire to play a part in universities stepping up to be once again the champions of learning and opportunity. For everyone.
UNIque is the course I needed as a physics postdoc trying to navigate the big career questions. UNIque is the course I created after twenty years in researcher development. UNIque has provided a boost for those at Imperial College London, University College London, King’s College London, University of Belfast and University of Strathclyde.
Learn more about what 394 UNIque women – so far – experienced
What’s the impact for you and your institution?
✓ Retain talent – Support women researchers to see a future in research, rather than quietly stepping away.
✓ Boost confidence and career clarity – Help researchers articulate their achievements and explore all their options with confidence.
✓ Promote equity and inclusion – A tangible action toward narrowing the gender gap in research careers.
✓ Enhance researcher wellbeing – Reduce the stress and uncertainty around career progression.
✓ Improve engagement – Empowered researchers are more likely to lead, collaborate, and contribute fully.
✓ Strengthen your development offering – Add a high-quality, expertly led programme to your institutional support.
✓ Shape future leaders – Support women in building the mindset and skills needed for leadership in and beyond academia.
✓ Reputation and impact – Show your commitment to inclusive career development with a visible, values-driven initiative.
What’s the impact for your UNIque researchers?
Structured career challenge and support. Expeditiously.
Researchers are super-numerate, super-literate, project managing, problem solving warriors. They are also time poor and struggle to prioritise development time. UNIque is built on my vast experience in the development space with these bright, sparky people.
This development opportunity runs with large cohorts of women (20+) combining:
✓ 5 Live workshopinars – a focused hour of learning and community
✓ 4 self-paced modules exploring You and the University, You and Yourself, You and Your Career and You and Your goals released in stages
✓ A dedicated platform hosting videos, smart sheet exercises and community noticeboards that tracks progress through the materials
✓ Supported by the Amazon bestselling book
Our next open cohort starts 15th April 2026
Opening workshopinar 15th April 9.30-10.30, then every two weeks until 10 June 2026
Why not join forces with another university? The easy way
Several cohorts of UNIque have run with researchers from different universities adding an extra dimension to the learning and community building. By committing to 5 or more places, your researchers will discover a broader understanding of the research ecosystem whilst building valuable networks.
Building on the success of UNIque, many of the elements were adopted into my design for SeedWISE at the University of Oxford – a programme for women PhD students with an enterprise theme. Now on it’s 9th cohort.
Easy to administer
Researcher development units are busy so we take on the administration for you. We host a dedicated platform accessible from everywhere which is a one stop shop for links, resources and community. We will provide detailed attendance registers and feedback. We can even build in your standard feedback questions or highlight events on our platform.
The Athena Swan Charter is a framework which is used across the globe to support and transform gender equality within higher education (HE) and research. Established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment, the Charter is now being used across the globe to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women.
UNIque has been used in evidence for career development in fellowship applications, gender pay gap action plans and Athena Swan awards
Your investment
The next UNIque cohort starts in April 2026
Your researchers can join us for £125 + VAT per person
Hello! I’m Emma
A degree, PhD and postdoc in physics at the University of Cambridge meant I was often the only woman in the room. As I moved through that academic trajectory I became aware of the barriers that presented.
The shock of moving into the mostly women researcher development space was palpable! As lead for Graduate Development and then as co-head of Academic Development, I saw similar scenarios unfold.
Researchers have the power to change our world for its people – 50% of whom are women.
I empower researchers to take their next steps positively, proactively and in time. UNIque helps break down the barriers that women face in this space.
In April 2025, I was awarded as an Inspirational Women in STEM and Construction. Also in 2025, my third book Leaving Academia was highlighted by Nature as one of 9 career guides and was shortlisted for the Business Book Awards. This follows on from The UNIque Guide for Women (2023) and What Every Postdoc Needs to Know (2nd ed. 2024). My work writing, coaching and training as an independant researcher development consultant spans universities and research institutes across the UK and further afield.
