Gender Equality in Academia and Research
About the gender equality in academia and research tool
The Horizon Europe gender equality plan (GEP) eligibility criterion has put GEPs at the top of the agenda of organisations in the research and innovation (R & I) sector. There is a growing demand for guidance on how to develop and implement a GEP in accordance with this eligibility criterion and how to achieve sustainable structural and cultural change. The gender equality in academia and research (GEAR) tool has provided guidance and advice on gender equality work in R & I since 2015. The new GEP eligibility criterion in Horizon Europe provided the appropriate occasion to update the GEAR tool and to tailor it to this new policy.
Who is the target group of the gender equality in academia and research tool?
This online tool is targeted at all staff working in research organisations, including universities, research-performing organisations, public bodies and research funding bodies. This includes research and teaching staff, human resources departments, administrative and support staff, and middle- and top-level management. While not directly targeting students, this group is addressed through various measures that are described in the tool, as they are relevant stakeholders when it comes to developing and implementing GEPs, especially at universities.
As both women and men take part in R & I, implementing structural and cultural change to promote gender equality is not a women’s issue. Men are explicitly called upon to engage, together with women, in initiatives towards the modernisation of research organisations and gender equality.
What can you find in the gender equality in academia and research tool?
The GEAR tool offers guidance and information on how to implement a GEP in your organisation to promote structural and cultural change towards gender equality. It is organised in different sections.
- What. This section provides key definitions and theoretical knowledge, such as what a GEP is, and who should be involved in setting up a GEP. It also provides basic definitions of concepts and terms used throughout the GEAR tool, such as ‘gender’, ‘diversity’ and ‘intersectionality’.
- Why. In this section you will find information on the rationale for gender equality and why sustainable change is achieved through a structural approach. It also provides an overview of the EU objectives for gender equality in R & I and describes the Horizon Europe eligibility criterion.
- How. This section contains two separate step-by-step guides – one for research organisations (including universities, research-performing organisations and public bodies) and one for research funding bodies – and the GEAR action toolbox in which you can find concrete examples of measures to be designed and implemented within a GEP. You can also find information on success factors and on how to handle challenges and resistance.
- Where. The tool also provides background information on the EU and national legislation and policies supporting gender equality in research. The country profiles provide important contextual information on legal and policy frameworks for gender equality in R & I in your country, and examples of GEPs.
