Gender balance Research Performing Organisations

1. GENDER BALANCE AMONG RESEARCHERS
AND IN ACADEMIC STAFF
“This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under grant agreement No 741128”. This presentation
reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible
for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.”
Lidia Zakowska, Prof.PK., Poland
22nd March 2021

2. GENDER BALANCE AMONG RESEARCHERS AND IN ACADEMIC STAFF
Current situation – imbalance among Men and Women
researchers globally and in most of EU countries
• Why only 30% of the world’s researchers are women?
o Srtuctural barriers
o Organisational problems
o Gender stereotypes
o Gender bias in recruitment
and promotion
o Barriers to work-life balance
o Funding rules
2

3. 3
PNAS March 3, 2020 117 (9) 4609-4616; first published February 18,
2020; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1914221117
Historical comparison of gender inequality in scientific careers
across countries and disciplines

4. 4
GENDER BALANCE
AMONG RESEARCHERS
and in ENGINEERING IN
EUROPE
Exising differences show
that there are needs and
possibilities to make
activities aimed at
increasing the proportion
of women in research in
countries with small
proportion of women in
STEM and especially in
engineering

5. Career development
Shefigures 2018
Portion of women and Men in a typical academic carreer - EU 28
GENDER BALANCE AMONG RESEARCHERS AND IN ACADEMIC STAFF
While a growing number of women are
enrolling in university, many opt out at
the highest levels required for a research
career.
Especially in Science and in Engineering
more women should be enrolled, in
order to close the existing inbalance
among male and female researchers at
academic career .

6. 6
GENDER BALANCE AMONG RESEARCHERS AND IN ACADEMIC STAFF
EU 28
What can we do to increase the numer of human
resources in STEM? Can we change the existing
underrepresentation of women in research?

7. Organizing of:
• Trainings for different target groups at the RPOs
• Communication activities
• Awareness-raising actions
• Empovering girls at schools and young women at
universities (like Girls in STEM, special Days for Women
• Networking …
• Mentoring actions for Women in Tech
• Co-operating at all levels (EU, nationally and ar RPOs)
7
GENDER INBALANCE AMONG RESEARCHERS AND IN ACADEMIC STAFF
– What actions may help (GEECCO examples)

8. Increasing women visibility in scientific events, on
brochures and online material:
• Increasing visibility on accomplishments of female
researchers on internal and external events, like conference
openings, special sessions or panels at university level.
• Presenting women as professional experts in the field of
engineering (avoiding showing women only as a helping
Staff)
• Introducing 30% quota for female representation at
technical university bodies, like research committees,
scientific committees and professional boards of experts
(except TUW, were a quota is in place)
• Creating an image of gender equity on all published
documents, pictures and videos reporting scientific events
8
GENDER INBALANCE AMONG RESEARCHERS AND IN ACADEMIC STAFF
– What actions may help (GEECCO examples)

9. Implementing GE in recruitment, retention and career
development, by proper tools and methods, such as
work schedules flexibility, parental leave, dual-career-
couples, gender sensitive personnel evaluation and
gender sensitive appraisal interview (adapted to the
specific needs and requirements)
• Part-time and work-life balance initiatives on earnings and
career development
• Actions to encourage all staff members to use parental leaves,
• Create working time chart to limit its interference with
workers’ personal life, by promoting good practices such as
limitation of workers’ travels, moderation of emails use, staff
meetings optimisation…
• Promotion of work-life balance and supporting measures for
child care and elderly care and of other dependent relatives.
9
GENDER INBALANCE AMONG RESEARCHERS AND IN ACADEMIC STAFF
– What actions may help (GEECCO examples)

10. Avoiding leaking up women from research career in STEM, by:
GEPs Elaborations
• upgrading the existing documents to the upper level of structural
changes or implemented a new ones if not existing at RPOs
Ensuring sustainable changes at RPOs toward gender equality
• Monitoring structures, responsible bodies and Rector’s
commitments,
• Ensure equal payment
• Funding
10
GENDER INBALANCE AMONG RESEARCHERS AND IN ACADEMIC STAFF
– What actions may help (GEECCO examples)
https://andreassjostrom.com/where-women-make-more-than-men-nowhere/

11. GENDER BALANCE AMONG RESEARCHERS AND IN ACADEMIC STAFF
• Current perspective
11
From Horizon 2020 to
Horizon Europe
Support to Institutional Change
through Gender Equality Plans
(GEPs) and funding for women
in research
Thank you for your attaention
Lidia Zakowska, lzakowsk@pk.edu.pl