The School strives to create an inclusive and diverse environment for working and learning, where everyone experiences a sense of purpose, feels valued, and is respected. These principles are encapsulated in our Values Statement.

Initiatives in these areas are led by the RSAA IDEA committee and are coordinated with University and College-wide efforts to support and advance various activities aimed at improving the organizational culture for both our staff and students.

Our priorities range from bottom-up initiatives aimed at enhancing the culture aligned with our values, to top-down affirmative actions promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion. We routinely organize networking events and training initiatives for all staff, covering topics such as Implicit Bias, Disability and Mental Health, Indigenous Cultural Awareness, Respectful Relationships and LGBTIQA+. Our initiatives have been recognized with the Bronze and Silver Pleiades Award by the Astronomical Society of Australia in 2021 and 2023.  

IDEA values serve as pillars of the ANU Strategic Plan to 2025 and are central to the Equitable Hiring Strategy developed by the College of Science to foster gender balance and diversity across all levels. For more information, please refer to our Resources and Events pages.

Our committee endeavours to represent all areas within the School and includes students, postdocs, faculty, technical, and administrative staff. If you would like to get in contact with us please email to Luca Casagrande Associate Director IDEA ad.idea.rsaa@anu.edu.au.