European Community of Practice to support institutional change

Topic description

Specific Challenge:

Gender equality strategy in research and innovation policy is given a growing attention at the level research performing organizations, including universities and funding organisations, in particular through institutional change and with the objectives of:

• Removing barriers to the recruitment, retention and career progression of female researchers;
• Addressing gender imbalances in decision making processes;
• Strengthening the gender dimension in research programmes.

These objectives are pursued at EU level in Horizon 2020 and at national level in the European Research Area, with the support to Gender Equality Plans and to research on gender (e.g. gender studies, gender medicine, gender in transport). Implementing these policy objectives entails the involvement and development of gender-in-science infrastructures, centres or departments. They need to learn from each other and work together to share best practice and knowledge. There is a need of exchange and cooperation between experienced and less experienced centres / stakeholders from which all should gain and progress on the gender equality objectives.

The funded action will create a community of practice of research and practitioners centres experienced in gender equality in research and innovation policies aim at:

• sharing lessons learned from institutional change projects and from institutions with higher expertise and transformation experiences
• developing tools to share their lessons learned and stimulate activities in less advanced institutions
• sharing experience with and mentoring institutions who want to implement structural change and advance on gender knowledge
• providing information and training about gender in academic careers and setting gender equality plans, thereby encouraging less advanced organisations to engage in institutional change
• creating and facilitating a forum in which experienced and less experienced stakeholders meet and share their experiences

The proposals shall undertake an assessment of the needs of the less advanced institutions or countries.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of the order of 3 million EUR would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

This action allows for the provision of financial support to third parties in line with the conditions set out in Part K of the General Annexes.

Improved inter- centre and transnational learning on knowledge and practices on gender equality in research and innovation; increased gender expertise across Europe; ,increased engagement across Europe for institutional change to promote gender equality.

The activities will contribute to increase the number of research organisations implementing gender equality plans to the achievement of the ERA.

Gender